Adderall & Redbull
by Nobdy'sMelody
Summary: The Sequel to "Little Red"; Everyone's lives take a turn for the scandolous, as well as supernatural, a year after the Alpha was defeated.
1. Chapter 1

**Everyone begged for a sequel to "Little Red." Apparently, Marie Hale is pretty popular and people love her with Stiles. Now, we didn't want to let the story go, either, and, thus was born "Adderall & Redbull."**

**The name is taken from a line of Jo-Jo's cover of "Marvin's Room," in which she says **_**I've been up three days- Adderall and Redbull. **_**We heard it and "Adderall" connected to Stiles and "Redbull" to Marie, so, here we go.**

**We really only own Marie.**

Stiles POV

Marie jumped, hiding her face in my shoulder as a woman screamed and blood splashed everywhere. I wrapped my arm around her, smiling, and allowed her to press her face into my neck. "It's alright," I whispered in her ear as the masked killer grasped the woman's bloodied corpse and, laughing, threw it into the woods for animals to devour.

"Is it over?" she whimpered.

I chuckled softly, "It's only twenty minutes in."

She sighed, pulling her face from my chest to look at me, "I hate the movies." The killer's heavy breathing echoed through the dark theater and she shivered.

I rolled my eyes, smirking just a bit, "No, you hate horror movies. You love going to the movies or renting movies or watching movies on TV. It's the gory, blood-curdling, gruesome ones you hate."

"Then why did you bring me to see this?"

I pulled her closer, kissing her forehead before tucking her under my chin. Her fingers knotted into my shirt when another person screamed and I felt her wince. "Because," I whispered, "I get to act brave and shield you with my strong arms."

She looked up at me and fluttered her eyelashes, "My hero."

"Unfortunately, my shining armor is in the wash."

A smile spread across her face and she leaned up, pressing a soft kiss to my lips. A grin pulled at my lips while she rested her head on my shoulder, tracing patterns on my hand with her pink-painted nail instead of paying attention to the movie. Licking my lips, my cheek propped against her red hair, I laced our fingers together.

"You've seen worse than this in real life," I murmured, "but this scares you."

"Survival and watching mindless killing for entertainment are two very different things."

We sat together in silence, the cries and begging, the evil laughter and heavy breathing, from the movie echoing around us. A couple sitting a bit down the row in front of us were also ignoring the movie, but, rather than sitting quietly and enjoying each other's company, they were getting kind of hot and heavy. I reached into the popcorn bucket and started aiming it, bouncing it off the other couple.

They pulled away, the boy kissing the girl's neck. She opened her mouth to take a deep breath and I took aim. I turned, smiling, to Marie- "Two points!" -when the buttery treat landed perfectly in the girl's mouth. My date giggled.

PDA People were back at it. Marie reached into her box of Skittles and tossed. It bounced off the boy's temple. He pulled away from the girl, looking around, like _who did that?_ The girl picked the Skittle off the guy's shoulder, placing it on her tongue as Marie and I snuggled back together.

I groaned in annoyance when the other couple started up again. "Okay, that's it," I opened my soda, drawing out a cold ice cube. Marie shook her head, giggling into her hands. Hidden by the seats, the crouched behind the couple and slipped the ice cube down the guy's shirt. He whipped around- "Dude!" -and I grinned.

"Shh," I scolded. "Now, listen," I started conversationally, "here's an idea: go test her birth control pills somewhere else, eh? Like, maybe your bedroom, instead of a very public place like the movie theater?"

"Screw you," the guy said.

"Nah, you two made sure there was enough screwing in the room already." Smirking impishly, I looked to the girl. "You're going Danny's party tomorrow, Lydia?"

She bared her teeth in a wide smile, trying not to giggle at my interruption, "Of course I am. Danny loves me. You're taking Marie?"

"Marie's taking me," I corrected, "Danny still doesn't like me enough to invite me myself, but he adores Marie." I reached out and tapped her nose. The guy groaned, upset at my presence. She swatted my hand away. "Remember- use protection!" I made my way back to my seat.

My date giggled, "I can't believe you did that!"

"The only time I want to hear grunting and groaning in a movie theater is when I'm watching a zombie movie," I told her as I settled my arm around her shoulders. "Which this isn't- this is obviously a escaped-convict-physco-with-numerous-murder-weapons-and-a-mask movie. I expect lots of screaming and the sound of people running."

"Did I mention I hate horror movies?" Marie shot me a look from under her eyelashes. "Living something similar to a werewolf-thriller makes me a little less than excited to pay money to see something scary."

"You want to see something scary? Go read _Eclipse _and what werewolves are like in that. Being, you know, an actual werewolf, you'll cringe at the horror of how far off they are from the truth. But, then again, you find out the werewolves are actually only shape-shifters in the last book, so..."

She giggled, pressing her pink lips against my cheek. Another scream shook the theater and she flinched. I touched her knee:

"Wanna get out of here?"

* * *

><p>We pulled up to the Hale house, drifting to a stop in the clearing. I tapped my fingers against the steering wheel, jittery. Glancing at her, I licked my lips- nervous habit -and she stared out the window, looking towards the dark, foreboding house. "Derek home?"<p>

She nodded, "Yeah, I can hear his heartbeat. He's working out."

I rolled my eyes. _Of course Derek Hale spends his Friday nights working out, pumping iron, doing one-handed push-ups. He probably eats a box of nails afterward. Or maybe a protein shake. _"I guess this is goodnight, then?"

"No," she turned and smiled at me, slipping her fingers through mine, "Stay."

I raised my eyebrows, "Stay?"

She nodded, "Derek won't mind." I reached over and felt her forehead, pressing my lips together in concentration. Her blue eyes went up like she was watching my hand, eyebrows furrowing. "What are you doing?"

"Seeing if you have a temperature, because you'd have to be delusional to think Derek won't mind me staying," I chuckled. She rolled her eyes, giggling softly, swatting my hand away.

I leaned across the space between our seats, pressing my forehead against hers. Our noses bumped. "You know," she started conversationally, "since we left the movie early, I have some time before I need to be inside."

Smiling, I cupped her face in my palm, smoothing my thumb under her eyes, her skin baby-soft, "Maybe I should take you to horror movies more often, then, if we'll get extra time together?" I felt more than heard her laugh and I leaned closer, pressing our lips together.

My fingers threaded into her hair, tugging her closer, closer, closer. My other hand was still against hers, palm to palm, finger against finger, hers so tiny in comparison to mine. It made me want to protect her, though she had proven that she can fend for herself, what with ripping the Alpha's heart out of his chest and all. I could feel her eyelashes fluttering like she was asleep and having a really good dream.

The car was cramped and kissing over the middle console isn't the most comfortable position, but I was too lost in the kiss to care. Having her soft lips against mine was better than getting drunk off my dad's whiskey. Not only did it taste a lot better on my tongue- like lemonade and cupcakes and something like whipped cream -but it also gave me the same weightless, delirious feeling, like everything was going really slow and really fast at the same time, like my brain was numb and my senses heightened.

A tap on the window broke us apart. I looked out the window, staring into the dark green eyes of Derek Hale, and immediately fell from my high. He opened that passenger door, glaring, and, voice as rough as the stubble on his face, ordered, "Say goodnight to Stiles."

"Goodnight, Stiles," Marie smiled at me apologetically.

I nodded, "Night."

Derek helped her from my jeep, wrapping an arm around her shoulders, leading her back into the house. I reached into my pocket and triumphantly pulled out my powered-off phone, holding the red End button down until it turned back on.

_Three unread messages._

8:04PM

To: Stiles

From: Scott

Allison cancelled. Wanna chill?

9:31PM

To: Stiles

From: Scott

Do you think she's avoiding me?

10:45PM

To: Stiles

From: Jackson :/

I'm stuck w/ a bitchy McCall. Get your ass to his house.

I rolled my eyes, starting the engine. So much for going home and getting some sleep.

* * *

><p>I ran into Scott's mom on the way into the house. Her scrubs were pink with yellow flowers and this brightened my mood slightly. Then, she told me there was coffee in the pot and my night became ten times better.<p>

Strolling into the kitchen like I owned the place, I poured myself a cup of warm, steamy coffee. I tried to pour the milk in like I worked at Starbucks, but all I was rewarded with was- "Shit!" -a whole lot of spilled milk. I picked up their blue marker and wrote _milk _on the shopping list. A couple spoonfuls of sugar later and I was climbing the stairs.

In Scott's room, Jackson was lounging on the bed while Scott sat at his desk. Both in silence. Hard-core party people, right there.

"Budge up, sunshine," I moved to the bed. Jackson scooted away, giving me room. He opened his eyes, glaring at my mug.

"That coffee?"

"Yup," I sipped it.

He licked his lips, "Can I have a sip?"

I paused, as if to think about it; Then, "Nah," and I took a gulp. I looked to Scott. "Sorry I didn't get here sooner- I was with Marie."

He smirked, raising an eyebrow suggestively. "Were you 'with Marie' or were you '_with Marie_'?"

"Excuse me?" I choked on my hot beverage, passing the mug to Jackson while I tried to control my sputtering.

"Did you two...you know...?"

"He wants to know," the school-bully-turned-inexperienced-were-cub elaborated, "if you and the little redhead did the nasty yet." I grabbed my coffee back from him, preventing him from taking a sip:

"Don't be such a skeeze."

Both lacrosse co-captains laughed.

"You haven't?" Jackson snorted.

"Dude, who ever heard of a senior being a virgin?" Scott chuckled.

I frowned, shaking my head, licking my lips, "Yeah, sure, laugh. Just because I actually have some respect for my girlfriend. And myself. You-" I turned to Scott, "-are always moping because your girlfriend wants to spend zero time with you. And you-" I looked to Jackson, "-have been without female companionship since you broke up with Lydia a _year _ago. So neither you have room to talk."

That shut them up.

I held out my mug, "So, who wants some coffee?"

**And, yeah, that's the first chapter of Adderall & Redbull. **

**I love writing Stiles. And Derek. And Marie. So I'm super-excited you all wanted a sequel to Little Red. Teen Wolf has really been one of my favorite fandoms to write for.**

**I hope you enjoyed it!**

**Reviews are love : )**


	2. Chapter 2

**Hey, guys!**

**13 reviews in one day! And more alerts than I care to count! Ugh, I love ya.**

**So, Pirates of the Caribbean was on last night and all I could think about while watching was when Tyler Hoechlin said Derek was a "Jack Sparrow" character.**

**You asked for a quick update and here it is!**

**We really only own Marie.**

Marie POV

Danny grinned, flashing white teeth against tan skin, welcoming us to his party. Lydia found me in an instant, hooking her arm through mine. Stiles followed closely behind, scanning the crowd for someone to talk to. I tried to listen to Lydia over the loud music booming through the house. We stopped in the middle of the moving mesh of people. Stiles wrapped his arms around my waist, my back to his chest.

He pressed his forehead into the crook of my neck as I tried to follow what Lydia was saying. The music was so loud and everyone's heartbeats were fast, echoing in my sensitive ears, overwhelming me. The smell of alcohol was everywhere. Lydia's lips formed the word Allison and she glanced pointedly to our right. I followed her line of sight.

Our dark-haired friend and Scott were obviously fighting. Allison looked up to the ceiling and pushed her hair out of her face. I tuned in to their argument just in time to hear her cry: "I'm sorry!" The music got louder and I lost track of the conversation. Scott stepped back, away from her, shaking his head. Allison licked her lips, hand reaching out to grab his arm. He shook her off.

_Let's get these teen hearts beating-_

Stiles pressed his lips against my neck.

_Faster-_

Scott grabbed Allison's wrists when she reached for him again, yelling.

_Faster!_

I broke from Stiles' arms, giving him an apologetic look as I gripped Lydia's arm and ran to our friend's aid. I took Scott's bicep in my hand, tugging him away from Allison. Stiles was by us in an instant, hand on Scott's shoulder. But the werewolf-in-training didn't look angry anymore- he looked scared and confused.

Allison was teary-eyed, face screwed up in that horrible expression of utter heartbreak, the one that looks like a mix between laughing too hard and keeping tears in. She kept saying "I'm sorry!" over and over again.

I caught Stiles' eye- his pretty brown eyes -and he nodded in understanding, leading Scott outside. Lydia and I took Allison upstairs, interrupting a hot-and-heavy couple when we opened the door to one of the rooms. "Out," Lydia ordered in her order-not-suggestion voice.

After they scampered out, we sat Allison on the bed, running our fingers through her hair and wiping her tears to soothe her from her distraught state. "Allison, did you know polar bears are left handed? And elephants can't jump? And there are twice as many kangaroos for every person in Australia?" I sprouted random facts, hearing her heartbeat slow.

She took some deep breaths, calming herself.

"Okay," Lydia pursed her lips, "wanna tell us what's wrong?"

The dark-haired Hunter-in-training chewed on my lip, shaking her head. "I don't want to, but I should...I have to. Guys, I-"

* * *

><p>Stiles' POV<p>

"-thinks she might be pregnant!" Scott sat dejectedly on Danny's front stoop. "I'm too young for this!" He buried his face in his hands. "I've got enough going on right now- I'm a freakin' werewolf and I'm not even eighteen yet! How am I supposed to raise a kid?" He snorted, raising his head, "So much for ditching this town, eh? That's my entire life right there, getting shot in the face."

I sat down beside him, clasping my hands together, "I know you're probably in some kind of crazy mind cycle right now, but maybe you should think about Allison right now." He looked at me, like _what do you mean, this isn't all about me?_ "She's probably even more scared than you are. This is her future, too."

"Stiles, do you not understand? I. Am. Going. To. Be. Stuck. Here. Forever. This will ruin my. Entire. Life."

I stood up, appalled. "God, Scott, get your head out of your ass! Maybe you should stop being so self-centered and realize this is not all about you! The world does not revolve around you and you're not the only thing everyone thinks about! This is bigger than you! So stop being a piece of crap boyfriend and think about her and how she's feeling!"

The house behind us was pounding with thumping music and moving bodies. My heart was beating the same rate as the house. He was staring up at me, eyes wide, like _what the hell are you saying? _

"Scott, if you don't stop thinking about yourself and go help her, I'm gonna kick your little werewolf ass." I sat down beside him again, patting his back. "And after you two talk and sort it out, I'll grab all the drinks I can and we can get drunk as hell."

He nodded, empowered, and stood, marching back into the house. I didn't take a second to think about what a great motivational speaker I'd be or how I was such a great friend. Instead, I climbed to my feet and followed him up the stairs.

* * *

><p>Marie POV<p>

Scott and Stiles burst through the door, the former falling to his knees before Allison, taking her hands in his. Lydia and I backed away, smiling at each other. "Allison," Scott sighed, pulling his lower lip into his mouth.

I took Stiles' hand, pulling him downstairs, back to the party. "He better not screw it up," the brown-eyed boy snorted, a lopsided grin pulling at his lips. He licked his lips, pulling me to him on the dance floor, which was really just a cleared space in Danny's living room

_So testosterone boys_

_and harlequin girls,_

_will you dance to this beat_

_and hold a lover close?_

We're face-to-face and he was doing just as the song demanded. The electricity in the air was pulsing, explosive, just like the crowd of dancers. All of this still felt so new, the thumping music and screaming voices too loud in my ears. I distracted myself by speaking directly into Stiles' ear, his face buried in the crook of my neck, lips moving against my skin.

"Did you know the word 'harlequin' has come to mean something along the lines of 'colorful,' though it originally meant something different?"

"No," he murmured against my throat, lifting his head. "But, then again, I was always really bad at vocab." He smirked, eyes bright. I never thought brown eyes were attractive until Stiles.

Scott came up behind his best friend, grinning as he clapped a hand onto his shoulder. Stiles spun around in a kind of jerky motion. "Wanna get a drink?" the lacrosse co-captain said over the loud ruckus.

"Yeah!" Stiles shouted back, turning to me. "I'm getting a drink with Scoot- wanna come?"

I shook my head, smiling, "No, you go have fun. I'm gonna find Lydia."

An hour later, I still hadn't found my friend, assuming she had gone off with some boy. I made my way to the kitchen, searching for someone, anyone, to talk to. The smell of booze was strongest there, overpowering. I crinkled my nose at the scent, scanning the room.

Well, I found my friends.

Scott didn't seem very drunk, which made me wonder if werewolves could get drunk. On the other hand, Stiles was trashed. He was blinking rapidly, opening his eyes much too wide to be normal, leaning on Scott. Lydia sat on both their laps, one leg from each boy under her body. She was laughing uncontrollably. I ventured over, wary.

"Marie!" Lydia shrieked, tumbling off their laps. "Marie!"

"Marie's here?" Stiles opened his eyes, finding me through his haze, and a drunken grin pulled at his lips. "Aaaah, there's Marie." He looked to Scott. "Do you know who Marie is?"

Scott rolled his eyes, "Your girlfriend."

Stiles' eyes widened considerably, "Woah, how- how did you know that she's my girlfriend?" He shook his head, brushing off the wonder, and smiled at me, opening his arms. I walked over to him, allowing him to pull me onto his lap. He reeked of alcohol. "Marie, you're my girlfriend, right?"

"Yes, that's right."

"Good," he nodded, placing a sloppy kiss on my cheek. He frowned at me as if realizing something, "You're not drunk?" I shook my head. "Am I drunk?"

I ran a hand over his head, "You're wasted."

He bobbed his head, grinning, "Yeeeeah!"

I slid away from him. His eyebrows pulled together over his big brown eyes and he reached for me. "I'm going to go home, Stiles," I explained. "I'm tired. I'll call Derek and he'll pick me up. You get someone sober to drive you home, okay?"

He nodded, letting me go.

Waiting outside, I knew I could've just walked home. But it was comforting to know Derek was coming for me. "Cold?" a voice came from behind me.

I turned, "Oh, God, Jackson- you scared me." I pressed a hand to the hollow of my throat.

"Why're you out here all alone?" he stood beside me, his hands in his pockets.

I smiled, "Derek's picking me up."

"Stilinski trashed?"

I nodded. He stepped closer and I welcomed the body heat. Nights were cold in Beacon Hills and I hadn't brought a coat. His arm slipped around my shoulders and I burrowed into his side. He put his cheek in my hair. I smiled. Jackson was such a good-

His open lips pressed against my temple, wet tongue grazing my skin.

-creep!

I shoved him away, feeling a rush of cold air against my body. "Jackson!" I stumbled backwards, wanting away from him. "What do you think you're doing?"

A car, black as midnight, pulled up.

"Give me a break. Excuse me for wanting a little female companionship- I haven't been with a girl since Lydia," the blonde boy countered.

I growled, "Not my problem."

A shadowed figure exited the car, shoving Jackson against the side of the house. "What the hell do you think you're doing?"Derek growled.

"It's a party- things happen!" Jackson retorted.

"I don't care! That's my cousin!" I heard the sickening crack of broken bone when his fist connected with Jackson's nose. I saw his eyes flash blue, fangs elongated. When he spoke again, his voice was more of a growl, had a more animalistic edge, and I knew I was hearing Alpha's orders: "Don't you ever touch her again!"

Jackson scampered off like a kicked pup as my cousin and I climbed into the dark car. I slipped my arms into Derek's warm leather jacket. He pushed the middle console up into the tiny seat and I settled against his side, his arm around my shoulders. Keys in the ignition, he turned his face to mine and gave me a smile- rare, genuine, and wonderful, lighting up his entire face:

"Let's go home."

We drove down the dark street as the numbers on the digital clock flashed the stroke of midnight.

**There's the second chapter, if anyone was waiting for it.**

**It was pretty serious. Some intense stuff went down.**

**The song in this is by Panic! At The Disco. "Lying Is The Most Fun A Girl Can Have Without Taking Her Clothes Off."**

**I really hope you like it, because I did. Especially drunk Stiles. That was fun to write.**

**Reviews are love : )**


	3. Chapter 3

**EVERYONE!**

**So I'm so excited everyone loves this story because I'm actually, like, really into it. Like, I'll hear a song and it'll set fire to something in my head and all I can think about is getting it down on paper (or, in this case, computer) and I go into a sort of frenzy trying to fit it in.**

**We own nothing but Marie.**

**Here we go.**

Derek POV

The walls of Marie's room were painted pink. They had been pink before the fire, too, but I'd remodeled it after she decided she was staying in Beacon Hills with me. I didn't think anyone- especially someone as lively as Marie -would want to live in a charred, blackened room. I'd remodeled other rooms, too- like the kitchen, the dining room, bathrooms. I tried to make everything as it was before flames consumed it.

There were rooms I wouldn't touch. The door to my parent's room stayed closed, untouched. I stayed far away from Uncle Peter's room. After my initial walk-through when I returned, I never set another foot in my old bedroom, opting to fix up Laura's and sleep there.

Stepping out of the bathroom, hair damp from the shower, I started up the stairs to the third floor. These stairs twisted, turned at strange corners. As kids, we thought they were the coolest thing in the world.

The third floor was more or less one large room that had been sectioned off into about five smaller rooms with one big boudoir connecting them all. The boudoir was really just a large room for us to play in, the tricky staircase jutting out as the only entrance, the only way to get to our rooms.

I remembered how each door used to be a different color- Pink for Marie's, orange for Laura's, red for mine. Stopping at Laura's door, I looked over to the closed, charred door that led to my childhood bedroom. I let my hand slip from the crystal doorknob of Laura's door- she had always wanted one -and instead grasped the brass handle to mine.

Stepping into the room was surreal, like watching myself in a dream or going back in time. I smoothed my hand over the dust-and-ash-covered bedspread, sitting down in the same spot I used to do homework or play guitar. A cloud of dust and ash exploded, drifting through the air. I blinked, grabbing the neck of my old guitar in my hand, the melted metal strings and charred wood feeling off against my palm.

_Something pressed against my chest, a weight. Like, any thirteen-year-old, I didn't want to open my eyes- I just wanted to sleep. I groaned. Then, a voice in my ear whispered, "Happy birthday, Derek." My eyes flashed open and I was met by the sight for Marie and Laura's smiling faces._

"_That got him up," my sister, two years my elder, smirked._

_Marie bounced, "Derek! Get up! It's your birthday! You're fourteen!"_

_I sat, smiling, running a hand over my hair, "I'm up, I'm up."_

"_Good," my father said from the doorway, his arm around my mother, who was holding a large, wrapped package. "Happy birthday, Derek."_

_I took the package, feeling its weight in my hands. I felt around it, getting an idea of it's shape. My eyes widened, head snapping up to stare at my dad. "You didn't." I started ripping the wrapping off._

"_You got so good on mine, we figured you'd like one of your own."_

_I held it in my hands, a guitar, everything I'd been hoping for. "It's...amazing," I smiled. "Thanks."_

_I spent the rest of the day playing my guitar for Marie and Laura. The human children- only a few of them, spawn of one of my werewolf relatives and a human -would poke their heads in and listen for a while._

_That was the last gift I got from my parents._

I settled the instrument across my lap, holding it close, and tried to play. Not only did it sound terrible, but pieces of the guitar crumbled to dust, decorating my dark jeans. I sighed, placing it down on the bed and leaving the room, the floorboards groaning their protest, ash sifting across the floor, following me as if to drawn me back in.

I made my way through the house, out the front door, where I collapsed onto the porch steps. I placed my hand on the old wood beside my leg and, surprised, looked down when I felt the ridges of a carving.

Hands, the outline of hands, were carved into the steps, initials where the palm would be. The smallest set of hands bore the letters _MEH_, for Marie Elizabeth Hale, obviously done by a child. The second smallest set read _LSH, _for Laura Sophie Hale. And the largest set of hands, settled between the two others, proudly displayed _DMH,_ for Derek Matthew Hale.

Memories were everywhere.

I shrugged my shoulders, sighing, and returned to relaxing on the porch steps. I could hear Marie wandering down the stairs, though she had been asleep in her room a few minutes ago. Or maybe it was hours- I didn't know how long I had been outside.

The door whined as it opened behind me.

* * *

><p>Marie POV<p>

"What's wrong?" I sat beside Derek on the porch. The moon was hanging high in the sky, casting a silvery glow over the clearing where we used to play together. If I tried hard enough, I could imagine the the moonlight taking shape and becoming something like ghosts of ourselves and I could watch us chase each other around again.

"Nothing," he assured me. I looked at him, studying his sharp profile:

"Then why do you look so sad?"

He licked his lips, jaw clenching, shoulders slumping. "It's nothing important, Marie. You should go up to bed." Resting her elbows on his knees, he laced his fingers together.

I shook my head, reaching up to tighten my ponytail. "No- tell me."

"It's just- I was thinking about how everything used to be."

My eyebrows drew together. "Derek-"

"Sometimes it feels like nothing changed, but that's insane because everything's changed. I look at these little hand prints-" he traced a finger around the carving of our hands "-and I press my hands against them-" he put his palm against his carving, covering the it completely "-and I see how much everything's changed."

I licked my lips, but stayed silent.

"And, then," he turned to me, "I look at you. You're so grown up. A senior in high school. With a boyfriend. And I can still see the little girl I used to read to, who used to beg me to play dolls. When I look at you, it's like we're back to that, back before the fire. But then Stiles pulls up and I see how he looks at you and you're so in love and you drive off. And I know I'll never have that and I'm alone again."

"Derek-" I sighed, but didn't know what else to say. I looped my arm through his and rested my head against his bicep, hoping he knew what I was trying to say. _You're not alone. You're never alone. I'll always be with you, even if it's not in the flesh. We're family, pack, blood. We're connected. No matter what happens in this life- I love you._

He put his hand on my knee, letting me hug his arm. We both stared around the clearing, our eyes drifting up until we watched the moon hang in the sky, the stars twinkling, winking, in the dark backdrop. he rested his cheek in my hair, sighing, content.

Actions speak louder than words.

* * *

><p>Stiles POV<p>

My foot tapped against the floor, shaking like it was having its own personal seizure. I drummed my pencil against my palm, chewing on my lip. I wondered how much time was left in class. Once class was over, I could go hom- oh, no, I had lacrosse practice. Ugh, I didn't want to go. I'd rather sit in my crappy jeep than sit on the cold bench and watch the others run around. Speaking of my jeep, I had to remind myself to take it to the mechanic- Dad said it's due for inspection. Speaking of Dad, his birthday was next month. I wondered what I should I get him. He's a cop, maybe I'd get him something like-

"STILINSKI!" the teacher slammed a book down onto my desk. I jolted, falling out of my chair onto the floor. Everyone laughed while I righted myself behind my desk. "Thank for for joining us, Stiles. Please try and pay attention."

"Sorry," I smiled. "Forget to take my Adderall today."

"Yeah, right," I heard someone mutter, "he's addicted to that shit."

I sighed, staring at my desk. "Now," The teacher continued, "to answer my question- do you have your work, Stiles?"

I didn't look up, furrowing my eyebrows, sheepishly answering, "No."

"Why not?" the teacher crossed her arms, raising her plucked eyebrows.

Instead of answering honestly- that I had been hopped up on Adderall and Redbull for three days and, after adding being drunk to that, finally crashed after Danny's party, sleeping Sunday away, and didn't wake up until this morning -I went with being a smart-ass, my fall-back in any situation: "This weekend, most things about school seemed meaningless, including your homework, unfortunately."

Someone to my right snorted. I licked my lips, sighing. "Do I have to give you a detention, Stiles?"

I looked up, "Do you? I never read the school handbook."

"Detention," she sighed.

"I have lacrosse-"

"You can skip it," she gave me a glare. "And please stop tapping your foot- it's distracting. Now, back to the wonderful world of Shakespeare-"

I stopped tapping my foot, but started drumming my fingers on my desk instead. Danny reached over from his seat on my left, pressing my fingers flat to my desk and giving me a small smile, like _stop or you'll get in more trouble._I nodded in thanks.

"He can't stop moving," Jackson muttered from behind Danny. "What more would you expect from Stiles The Spaz?"

I frowned, trying to ignore the comment.

_It was recess in kindergarten. Rain prevented us from going outside, so I sat at my table, flipping through a book for third-graders. I was jittery, bouncing, jerking my head to the side, anything to keep moving. The small boy with asthma- his name was Scott -smiled at me from over his coloring book._

_A hand hit the back of my head, pushing down until my forehead smacked the table. I spun around in my chair. "Hey!"  
>"Why don't you ever stop moving?" a boy with blonde hair and blue eyes- his name was Jackson -asked with a sneer. I frowned, pursing my lips. I didn't like this boy. The day before he had made me eat paste. I twiddled my thumbs in my lap, staring at him. "You're such a spaz."<em>

"_Leave him alone, Jerk-son," Scott muttered._

"_Stiles The Spaz," Jackson taunted._

_His friends laughed. _

_After they left, Scott gave me another smile: "If it makes you feel any better, I don't think you're a spaz."_

_It didn't, really, but I smiled at him anyway. After school, I kept asking my parents if there was something wrong with me, if I was a spaz, because, on some level, I thought Jackson was right about me._

_My mom reassured me, helping me pull my sheriff-pajamas over my head. "There's nothing wrong with you, baby."_

_My dad tucked me into bed, reassuring me, "You're not a spaz, son."_

_They took me to the doctor's anyway. He made me take tests. While he talked with my parents in private, the student nurses sat with me, smiling and laughing at how adorable I was, poking the freckle on my left cheek when I smiled and laughed with them. I showed them how smart I was, reading to them from my third-grade book. The whole time, my mind was a tornado and my leg was bouncing._

_The doctor mentioned A-D-D and I told him I already knew how to add. He laughed and I learned to swallow pills. I took them everyday and stopped bouncing so much, stopped thinking like a twister. Jackson still called me "Stiles The Spaz."_

_In third grade, I realized how pretty Lydia Martin was, with her strawberry blonde curls and big green eyes. Jackson stole her snack and I shared mine with her, smiling. She responded. "Thanks, Spaz," and my heart sank._

_The nickname stayed with me throughout elementary school and middle school. Mostly Jackson and his thugs. "Hey, Spaz, where's your mom?" "Spaz, my mom's chaperoning the trip. Is yours gonna?" "Sit still, Spaz." "Be careful, Spaz- if you twitch so much, you might drop you lunch."_

_Once we got into high school, most people stopped calling me that and the nickname faded away._

Obviously, the mocking name has stuck- at least with Jackson.

You would think that- what with him and Scott being part of the same pack and me being the honorary pack member I was -he would be nicer to me. But, no. He was just as horrible to me as he used to be. And that was what really bothered me about his teasing.

God, he was such an ass.

The bell rang and I groaned, not wanting to serve detention. I stayed in my seat while everyone filed out, watching them go with a puppy-dog expression, like _TAKE ME WITH YOU!_

I stared at the teacher in silence, nothing else to do. I drummed him fingers against my desk, chewing on my lip. "Stiles," the teacher sighed. I stopped, clasping my hands together instead. "You want to tell me why you really didn't do you work?"

"I was busy- I had a crazy weekend. I had to deal with Scott and Allison and their relationship. I got Scott to step up and get his head out of his ass. And I didn't sleep all weekend, really, until Sunday, when I crashed all day and didn't wake up until my alarm went off this morning. I just had a lot going on."

"Scott and Allison are not your concern, Stiles. You shouldn't neglect your schoolwork for them."

I looked up, smirking slightly, "If you didn't notice, I'm a helper- that's what I do. I help Scott. I'm the Robin to his Batman, the Mori to his Hunny, the Ron to his Harry, the-"

"Maybe you should be the Robin to your own Batman," she cut me off, "and do something for yourself for once."

"Everything I do for Scott, I do for myself, too. If my best friend's unhappy, I'm unhappy." I smiled. "If I had stopped helping him before, I would never had met Marie- and she's everything I ever hoped for."

**Yeah, Stiles poured his heart out to his teacher. No, the tecaher dosen't have a name.**

**Yeah, Derek got sentimental. Yeah, he played guitar. He's beast like that.**

**The house my mom grew up in, which later belonged to my Aunt Teri, actually had that layout. The weird staircase and the large room cut into smaller rooms, but it wasn't as many as it was in this story. I used to love going there when I was little- it was my favorite part of the house, cut off from everyone else. It was like the kid's room. I'm glad I could incorporate that into this. :)**

**I hope you all liked it.**

**Reviews are love : )**


	4. Chapter 4

**So so sorry I haven't updated. Hurricane Irene was crazy. And, on an even worse note, School's starting. So, updates may become like a once a week kind of thing, instead of almost everyday like they were for Little Red.**

**Once again, thanks for all the reviews! I love them! My one friend and I have this thing going where we're seeing (cough*betting*cough) if Adderall & Redbull can get more reviews than Little Red did.**

**We really own Marie.**

Stiles POV

"Dude, where were you?" I hissed into my phone, stopping at a red light. "I was texting you all day and you never answered."

"Allison and I skipped to take a pregnancy test," my best friend explained.

I rolled my eyes, "And that took you all day? Seriously, driving to a dollar store, grabbing a few, having her pee on the stick, and waiting five minutes for results took all day?" The light turned green and I pressed on the gas.

"No," Scott sighed, "driving two towns over to buy the test and finding a motel that let two teens rent a room for the day on a Monday is what took all day."

I pulled into my driving, yanking the keys out of the ignition, and pressed my forehead against the steering wheel. "And why the hell did you drive two towns over and rent a motel room?"

He huffed, like I was a child he was explaining something to for the fifth time. "Because, genius, we didn't want anyone to know us. If we bought it in town, someone would know us and call our parents and we'd have to explain, which isn't on my list of things to do."

"How many tests did you try?"

"Four."

I sat back in my seat, "How did she even generate enough pee for four pregnancy tests?"

"Stiles, that's not what's important right now!"

I nodded, "Right, sorry. So what's the verdict- minus or plus?"

"I'm going to be a dad, Stiles," his voice sounded hoarse, like he was tearing up. I chewed on my lip, a smile tugging at the corners of my mouth. Even with the I'm-going-to-cry voice, he sounded kind of happy, kind of excited.

"Congrats, man." I rolled my shoulders. "You do realize you'll have to tell your parents, right?"

He groaned, "Don't remind me." My bets friend made a distressed sound. "Allison's dad is gonna kill me."

I chuckled, "Aw, I thought we'd gotten past him trying to kill you last year."

"Shut up, Stiles."

"Shutting," I climbed out of the car, unlocking the door to my house. "Don't worry," I assured him, "I'm sure he won't draw it out too long. Probably just a Wolfsbane bullet to the head. And I'll sure miss you."

"You're not making me feel any better about telling them tonight."

I smiled, "Good- you should be nervous as hell."

* * *

><p>Marie POV<p>

I sat on my bed, painting my nails bubblegum pink, Derek lying beside me. He traced patterns on my bare knee, watching me with his permanent scowl. "Parent-teacher conferences are soon," I reminded him.

"And...?"

"You're my legal guardian, so you have to go to it."

"Says who?"

I smiled, "The school- look it up."

"They'll be thrilled to have an ex-wanted criminal talking to them, won't they? Just imagine it- 'well, Mr. Hale, despite your influence, being a once-wanted criminal and all, Marie is a wonderful girl.' I can't wait."

I giggled, "Everything will be fine- just be your charming self."

My phone began to sing loudly, vibrating in my bag. It belted Taylor Swift's "Ours" as loud as its little mechanical lungs would allow. Since my nails were semi-wet, I gestured for Derek to grab the device. He flipped it open and Allison's voice replaced Taylor's.

"Ohmigawd, Marie, Lydia-" oh, so this was a three-way call "-Scott and I skipped today to take the test and, ohmigawd, that pink little plus sign..."

"Slow down, sweetie," Lydia scolded affectionately.

Blowing hot air across my nails until they were dry, I asked, "So you aced the test?"

"Yeah..." Allison sighed, sounding distraught and excited- a strange mixture, for sure.

"I don't know whether to say congrats or sorry."

"Can I say I told you so?" Lydia chuckled. "Because I did tell you to be careful. How many tests did you take- you know, to be sure?"

"Four."

I raised my eyebrows, running my now-dry nails across my bottom lip, "How did you even generate enough pee for four pregnancy tests?"

"I drank like a whole case of water bottles, but that's besides that point! They all said 'yes, ma'm, you are pregnant and your parents are going to kill you because you haven't even graduated high school yet and they hate your boyfriend'."

I rolled my eyes, stretching my legs out in front of me, "Speaking of, did you tell your parents?"

"I'm telling them as soon as Dad's home and we've eaten dinner," Allison planned. "Scott's telling his mom as soon as he gets to his house. God, my dad's going to kill us. And then revive us so he can kill us again. And maybe again for good measure."

Derek pressed his cheek against my knee, his stubble tickling the bare skin. I pushed my fingers into his hair, rubbing his scalp like he was a dog. His green eyes closed as I hung up the phone.

"Scott knocked up the Huntress?"

I smiled affectionately down at him, shaking my head in amusement at his monotone voice. "To put it bluntly, yes." I giggled. "They're having a baby! I love babies- they're all small and chubby and helpless..."

"And they cry and scream and shit themselves."

We sat in silence for awhile, simply enjoying each other's company. I listened to our, breathing, our heartbeats, comforted by the sense of family, of pack. A thought struck me and I broke the silence:

"_What is a Baby?_

_I just cant understand_

_It must be something wonderful_

_It must be something grand"_

Derek chucked at my song.

"_Cause everybody's smiling_

_In a kind and wistful way_

_And they haven't even noticed_

_That I'm around today"_

My cousin opened one eye to look at me, lips twitching into a smile- something that was becoming less and less of a rarity.

"_What is a Baby, anyway?_

_Oh, what is a baby?_

_I must find out today_

_What makes Jim Dear and Darling_

_Act this way?"_

Derek began humming directly after I finished, a song that sounded sweetly like a lullaby, eyes closing. I followed suit, letting my lids drop as he continued humming.

* * *

><p>Scott POV<p>

"Mom," I stepped warily into the kitchen. "Can I talk you?"

She looked up from the papers in front of her. Dark hair pulled away from her face in a careless pun, wearing yellow scrubs, I noted how tired she looked, even as she smiled at me. "Of course, sweetie."

I sat down across from her. "When I tell you this, please don't hate me."

"Scott...?"

"I did something...well, I made something happen. It's...it's not exactly good. I mean, It's good, but it's bad, too, and that didn't make any sense. But, then again, it doesn't make sense that I'm kind of excited but I'm terrified at the same time and-"

"Honey," she placed her hand over mine, "you're babbling. That's Stiles' job, remember?"

"Allison's pregnant," I blurted out.

She stared at me, eyes wide in shock, lips parted, silent. Then: "Oh, Scott-"

I decided I could get it all out really fast. "We skipped school today and took, like, four pregnancy tests and they all came out with that unholy pink plus sign. And I'm freaking out because, seriously, I'm not even eighteen and I don't know if I can handle this-"

"How's Allison handling this?"

My eyes watered a bit. "She terrified. And kind of excited. I am, too. I mean, it's a baby. And I'm so scared I won't be able to man up and be the kind of person I have to be. At first, I was going to leave, but then Stiles-" I laughed slightly "-but now I'm not. I'm going to stay and make her happy."

My mom smiled sadly, "I think you're already manning up." A pause, and then: "I'm not angry. I do wish you had learned something from your dad and I, but I'm not angry."

When she said that, my heart ached. Mom and Dad had been just like and Allison, expecting a baby a bit before they were ready. And they loved each other. But after the shotgun wedding, after I was born, I guess that love just faded.

I remembered my dad as the man who ran around the house with me and Stiles as children, who teamed up with the Sheriff and took us to some huge baseball game. But I also remembered the fights, his raised, angry voice booming through the house. I remembered covering my ears with my little hands to try and drown him out. I remembered that he abandoned us and broke Mom's heart, that he forgot all about us and had new family somewhere else.

I remembered that we were better off without him.

"I won't be like him," I swore.

She touched my cheek, "No, you won't- you're a much better person than he ever was."

* * *

><p>Stiles POV<p>

Later that night- way later that night, like eleven thirty- when my dad got home, he called me downstairs for dinner. The scent of warm, cheesy pizza tickled my nostrils and I loaded my plate with the delicious Italian food.

"So, Melissa called me about an hour ago," my dad mused as I shoveled the cheesy deliciousness into my mouth. I nodded in response.

"She told me Allison's pregnant- Scott's going to be a father."

I swallowed, meeting his eyes, "Yeah, he sounded kind of nervous-slash-excited-slash-frightened-as-hell when he told me."

"He told you?"

"Of course- he's practically my brother, why wouldn't he tell me?" I nodded, taking another bite.

He shrugged. "They should've been more careful."

I smirked, "Yeah, right?"

"How's Marie?"

I looked up at the sudden mention of my girlfriend, "She's fine. Why?"

"No reason Just- you two have been dating for a while, almost as long as Scott and Allison. And they're having a baby, so it got me thinking-"

I dropped my pizza onto the plate, covering my face with my greasy fingers. "Oh, my God, Dad!"

"I just want to be sure you two are being careful-"

"Dad!" I squeezed my eyes closed. "Ugh, trust me, you don't have to worry! We're not even doing anything! You have a better chance of Danny knocking someone up than me doing anything like that with Marie!"

"So we don't need to have this talk?"

"NO!"

He nodded, "Okay." He took a bite of his pizza, "This is really great pizza."

I licked my lips, pinking my slice back up, and snorted in response, a smile pulling at my lips. "That's how you know it's bad for you. You, Mr. Sheriff, shouldn't be eating it."

"I am a police officer. I have a gun. If I want to eat the pizza, I will have the pizza."

I rolled my eyes, "Once again, taking the contractions out of your sentences _does not _make your argument any more valid."

He smiled and we finished our meal in silence.

When we were dumping the empty box in the trash- what can I say? We're hungry boys -he turned to me. "Stiles," I knew that tone- it usually meant something bad, "you were talking about Scott practically being your brother..."

"Yeah," I grinned warily, "because I've known him since forever."

"And Melissa's like a mother to you..."

"Yeah...?"

"And we're all kind of like a family, right?"

I frowned, leaning back against the counter, "Where are you going with this, Dad?"

"Well, I was wondering...I mean...It's been years and I was thinking...you know I loved your mother- still do, but...I was wondering how you would feel about me taking Melissa on a date?"

I stared at him, eyebrows raised in shock. "Melissa McCall? Like, Scott's mom?"

He nodded. "Yeah. I figured...you know...we've known each other for so long and we're both single...and she's an attractive woman-"

"You want to replace Mom?"

"No, not replace, never replace. Stiles, I loved your mother. But...it's been years, Stiles. And even though I'll always love her...I guess I'm lonely." He reached for my arm, but I drew away.

"Then buy a puppy!"

"Stiles," he sighed, reaching for me. I backed away.

"No, I'm not going to let you replace Mom." When I was younger, after my mom died, I used to sleep over Scott's and wonder what it would be like if Melissa and my dad ever got together. I'd figured I'd be happy about it- Scott would really be my brother and I'd have a mom again. Now that it was an actually possibility, I didn't want it.

He huffed, picking up his glass of whiskey off the counter, "Not replace, Stiles. I could never replace her. She'll always be in my heart, you know that. I look at you every day and see her. But, personally, I think I deserve to be happy again, too."

"Do you even miss her? Do you think about her at all?" My eyes stung, unshed tears making my vision swim.

"You know I miss her as much as you do, if not more. You know what? Just forget it." He brought his drink to his lips, taking a long sip. Licking his lips, he pulled the slightly brassy liquid close to his chest. "Erase this whole conversation. I'll see you in the morning."

I felt bad all of sudden, reaching out to touch his arm, feeling like an ass. "Dad-"

"Goodnight, Stiles," he dismissed me.

I nodded, exiting the kitchen. I turned to look at him over my shoulder. I watched his down his glass and pick the bottle of whiskey up and refill the cup to the brim, raising it to his lips. My eyebrows pulled together, a frown tugging at my lips. I was such an ass to him and my heart hurt. "I love you," I called, knowing he would hear me.

He nodded, never turning to look at me, and waved. Sighing, I turned away and marched up the dark stairs to collapse onto my bed.

**This one was much more family-center****ed, don't ya think?**

**The song Marie sang was "What is a baby?" and Derek hummed "La La Lu," both from Lady & The Tramp. **

**A big thank-you to ****synismysin**** for getting me going on this.**

**Reviews are love : )**


	5. Chapter 5

**I've been having a fantasic day, my dear readers, and I figured I'd try and spread my happiness by updating!**

**Are you excited? I am. I also feel as if my mind is on a caffenine high, but I haven't had any. Is that bad? I just made a face into my computer screen and- in a very strange voice -went "I'm Quasimodo." **

**But you don't care about that! You care about the story!**

**So here we go. We only own Marie.**

Stiles POV

_God, they should really pave this road, _I groaned to myself as my jeep bounced down the un-paved path to the Hale House.

When I took the keys out of the ignition, Derek was already standing on the porch, bold as brass, dark hair styled in that way that looks mused and jelled, but you can never really tell if it's natural. I took a moment to pause and consider if Marie's real hair color was as dark as his. I glanced through the windsheild and he was glaring, muscled arms folded across an equally muscled bare chest, like _what are you doing here?_ Yay for getting along, eh?

I stepped out of the car, opening my mouth to speak, but he beat me to the punch: "Marie's not here."

My lips pouting, my shoulders slumping, I sighed, "Where is she?"

"I'm here," Marie came out fo the dark doorway, rolling her eyes at her cousin. He glared at her, like _why would you tell him that? He was about to leave, _and she pursed her lips together, as if trying not to smile, like _be nice._ She turned back to me, large blue eyes smiling as much as her lips. "What's up?"

"Well, we've been so wrapped up in Allison and Scott's drama, we haven't had any real time for, y'know..._us_, so I figured we could maybe hang out together, order a pizza, watch a movie?" I shoved my hands in my pockets.

She smiled. Derek grumbled something I couldn't catch and backed through the shadowed doorway, probably waiting to jump out from dark corners and scare the shit out of me. "I'd like that," Marie was by my in an instant, red filing my vision, tugging on my hand, pulling me into the house. "What do you want to watch?"

I followed her up a couple rickety-looking staircases, "I don't know. Whatever you're up for is good." Tugging me through a pink door, she let my hand go, cold air rushing against my skin, fumbling under her bed for something. I realized that was where she slept every night, curled up under her covers like a kitten; I relaized I had never been in her bedroom before.

Taking the chance to look around, I noted there was a lot of pink. And yellow. Bright colors to match her bright personality. A sparkly mirror hung on the wall, glittering with rhinestones, song lyrics and inspirational quotes tacked to the wall around it. A small collection of shoes- flats for comfort, sneakers for casuality, heels-and-or-wedge-things for height because she was so tiny -were gathered in a corner. Her backpack, a mess of smiley face and rainbow stickers, sparkly lipgloss and small stuffed animal keychains, and black Sharpie styled girly script from Allison and Lydia, slumped beside the door.

She held a box out towards me, grinning. "This is all we have. all of our movies got burned in the fire, but Derek bought me more when we found out I was allo- when we decided I'd stay here."

I noted the hesitation, but ignored it, smiling back at her as I took the box and flipped through the movies. Most were old, classic Disney, from way back around the time I was born. I sat on her pink-yellow-orange bed and grabbed one, pulling it from the box, and handing it to her.

My girlfriend stared at the cover for a moment, trailing her finger down the glinting surface, before nodding- "I love this one!" -and popping it open, sliding into the player and setting up the TV so we could watch. I settled back against her pillows like it was the most natural thing, stretching my arm to the side to make it clear that she was welcome to snuggle up against me.

The movie started, her head on my shoulder. I glanced down when the songs started, watching her mouth all the words like the impressive girl she was. "You can sing them to me if you want, you know. Sorry I can't sing back- I don't know the words."

She looked up at me, "You don't know the words?" I shook my head slowly, realizng this was a suprise to her. Did I really seem like the kind of teenage boy who spent my time watching Disney movies and learning all the words to the songs?

"Is that bad?"

Quickly, she shook her head. "No, not bad. I just...I figured everyone...I didn't think...just because Derek knows all the words doesn't mean-"

"Wait," I cut her off, a smirk growing on my lips. "Derek, _Derek Hale, _your cousin, the infamous heartless predator, _Derek Hale _knows all the words to the songs in Disney movies?"

Her hand came up to he rmouth, muffling her voice, "No, I wasn't supposed to tell you that." Pulling them away form her lips, she waved her hands in the air, pushing them towards her mouth repeatedly as if she were fanning herself. "Come back, words! Come back!"

I laughed, "Oh, that's great."

"No, no, no," she pouted. "I wasn't supposed to say that. Pause-" she pressed an imaginary button that was apparently suspended in the air in front of us, "-rewind-" she hit another, "-zzzzzzz-" that was apparently the sound of something rewinding itself, "-Play-" she hit another button, and repeated, "you don't know the words?"

Grinning at her antics, I answered, "Is that bad?"

"No, I just figured everyone knew the words," she shrugged, perfectly content with her new and improved answer.

We in silence for a bit, watching the story unfold on screen. Ariel- she was the princess, also a mermaid -was ogling the handsome prince- Eric, two legs, Marie pouted everytime he was onscreen -and a storm hit. Fire and rain both caused an uproar- I still wonder how they happened together -and the mermaid saved the prince from drowning. She laid him down the sand outside his sea-side castle, admiring his beauty.

Marie whispered the first part of the song the princess sang to herself. I pressed my lips to her temple, muttering, "Teach me the words."

She smiled up at me and giggled before continuing:

_"I don't know when,_

_I don't know how,_

_But I know something's starting right now._

_Watch and you'll see,_

_someday I'll be_

_part of your_

_world."_

I grinned because she was grinning, and she leaned up- not close enough to reach me, but close enough for me to understand her intentions. I pressed my smiling lips against hers as Ariel dove back into the water. I brought my hand to her cheek, skin soft under my lacrosse-and-miscellanious-werewolf-activity-calloused fingers.

Suddenly, she pulled away. I pouted, disappointed at the lack of contact as she stood from the bed. She frowned, heading towards the door. "What's he doin-?"

I followed, oblivious to what was going on. I figured she has sensed something with her bad-ass wereweolf skills that were so easy to forget she had. I stopped behind her, crouched at the top of the main staircase. She gave me a look, like _shhhh. _I nodded and turned to watch.

Jackson was downstairs, ranting and raving, arms flailing, yelling something about higher position, something about Scott and Allison and failure. He shouted at stone-faced Derek, eyes flashing untrained Beta gold, something about how he derserved it and how he was better than Scott. His voice hoarse, the blonde be screamed about moving up, about higher position, higher position, about worth, about babies and traitors and stupidity.

Derek clamly stepped forward during the other boy's rant, face never changing from it's passive, uncaring expression. Jackson never saw it coming.

_Slap!_

Derek's hand left an angry red mark on Jackson's cheek. "You're a silly boy," the Alpha growled. Jackson trembled. "Scott is an idiot, you're correct. No, perhaps he shouldn't rank above you- what with you learning faster than him in simple training. But, you're a silly boy, jealous, envious. You're as much as an idiot as Scott is. And, even though he made a horrible mistake, he listens to me because he knows I'm right, not because he knows I'm the Alpha and he has to. That is why you're not moving up." He stepped back. "You stay at the bottom of the totem pole where you belong."

Jackson swallowed, nodded, put back in his place.

"Marie, Stiles," Derek called in that same even tone, "I know you're both there."

My girlfriend stood and made her way down the stairs. I followed, again- that's all I seemed to be doing that day. "Stiles," Derek looked to me, "I suggest you go upstairs and pick a different movie. Your's might be over soon and I know there are much better ones in that box."

"It's a good movie, Derek," Marie chewed on her lip. "I don't mind-"

"Marie," he interrupted, "I know you don't like watching it. I know it reminds you..."

She nodded silently while I waited for a response. Jackson watched from the sidelines, quiet for once in his life. I shoved my hands in my pockets, sighing when the Hale cousins only continued to stare at each other. "Oh, hey, no worries, I'll just stand here and watch while you guys do your silent-tellipathic-werewolf-communication-thing," I quipped.

"Go pick another movie, Stiles," Marie smiled at me, tearing her gaze away ffrom Derek. "I'll be up in a minute."

I shrugged, nodding, running my hand over my hair, "Sure, whatever." I climbed the stairs, collasping on her bed with a loud, heavy exhale. The door creaked open and I heard Marie's little feet slap against the floor as she made her way over to me.

Suddenly, she was leaning over me, smiling, red hair shadowing her face as it surrounded her. I was reminded easily of a scene in the movie we'd been watching, where the prince does this exact thing to the prince and it's the first thing he sees as he wakes up from alomst drowning. I smiled.

"What do you say," she leaned in close, "we pick up where we left off?"

**If you didn't realize it yet, they were watching Disney's "The Little Mermaid," one of the best movies OF ALL TIME. If you didn't realize that, WHAT HAVE YOU BEEN DOING WITH YOUR CHILDHOOD? Haha, just kidding. If you don't realize that, sorry, go watch the movie, it's brilliant. The song Marie sings is "Part Of Your World Reprise."**

**The "Pause," "Rewind," "Play," thing Marie does is something I did yesterday and then found hilarious, so I had to add it.**

**I hope you all liked it. I really hope you did.**

**Reviews are love, because nothing makes me happier: )**


	6. Chapter 6

**My dear, sweet readers~!**

**Over 50 reviews on this story so far! How excited are you? I bet it can't match my excitement! I'm a total review hog- I just love them and love them and love them and cherish each and every one of them! :D So thank you all so much for reviewing!**

**Did you know, I haven't written a single chapter for any three of my Teen Wolf stories using Microsoft Word? I've been tricking my email into letting me write because Microsoft is screwed up! :D**

**Anyway, here's the new chapter!**

Jackson POV

Stilinski came down the stairs a boring hour later, looking blissfully happy. Derek gave me a look, like _you can go. Don't let the door hit you on the way out._ I followed my fellow lacrosse player out of the deary, cooked house. "Hey, Stiles," I dramatically blew all the air out of my lungs, "Can I get a ride? I kind of ran here."

"You can run home, then," he countered.

"Come on," I reasoned, stepping in front of the door to his jeep, blocking him from getting inside. "We're pack."

"And I really wanted a goldish when I was ten." I gave him a look, like _what?_ "Oh, sorry, I thought we were stating things that don't matter. We stood in silence, staring each other down. "Fine," he consented, "Get in."

Driving down, the bumpy road, I looked over at him, smirking. "Get any farther with Miss Marie?"

"She hasn't shown any interest."

"Have you?" I pressed the side of my lips together, eyebrows raised.

He stared through the windsheild, seeming to contemplate his answer. "No, I haven't. Unlike you and Scott, that isn't all my mind is focused on. In fact, I actually have some respect for my girlfriend and I'm not going to try to convince her or guilt her into anything."

"Listen, I'm not trying to be an ass or anything," I explained. "It's just- she's a pretty girl and other guys are gonna want her. If you really like her, you should make sure she's yours. You have to do something or you might lose her."

He frowned, thinking. Then: "Is that a threat?"

I shrugged, "More like a promise."

We sat in silence for the rest fo the drive.

* * *

><p>Derek POV<p>

I stepped into Marie's school, noting that I was probably the youngest gaurdian there.

I saw Scott and his mother. I smirked when she hissed, "Academic probation?"

I saw Jackson's parents, Lydia's parents, Allison's parents. I saw the Sheriff, who nodded to me.

I stepped into the economics classroom, sitting across the teacher. He was the Coach, too. I wondered if he was even certified to be a teacher. He grinned crookedly, "Okay, uh, Marie- great girl, sweet, smart. Zero ability to stay on track, a bit ditzy at times. A whiz, socially."

He looked at me; I raised my eyebrows, like _what? Do you have anything to say?_ He frowned, thick eyebrows drawing down into a 'V' over his eyes. "You're Derek, right?"

I nodded, "Yes, sir."

"Weren't you, uh, wanted for murder last year, kid?"

My lips drew into a grimance, "Yes, sir. And I'm not a kid."

He craned his neck a bit, like a spaztic bird, "How old are you?"

"Almost twenty-two."

"And she lives with you, alone?"

I rolled my eyes, "Yes, Marie and I live alone together. Listen- I don't want to be here; you don't want to be here. Can we get straight to the rest of this meeting, instead of you inquiring about my private life?"

He nodded, "I like how you think. ...okay, Marie? Right, like I said, a bit spacey, but can focus when she needs to; she and Stilinski are attached at the hip. She tends to have a fondness for random facts?"

"So, she's doing well? You tell me what's wrong or what's right, I'll go home, you'll go home, we'll all be happy."

"Eager to leave?"

"I hate it here," I responded.

"So do I."

I frowned, "No offense, but I can't think of anyone less suited to be a teacher."

He shrugged: "Neither can I."

* * *

><p>Marie POV<p>

Allison was freaking out in her bathroom, crying and whining and not letting us in. Lydia and I finally collasped on her bed, deciding she'd let us in when she wanted us.

"Ndmydaddosen'twanmetahseeScawt! NdScawt'sgonhayteme!"

I couldn't understand a word of what she was saying.

"It really just feels like the death of romance before your eyes, doesn't it?" Lydia sighed, running a hand through her hair. She looked at me, pressing her glossed lips together. "Like, everything's about hooking up and going fast and making decisions. What happened to romance?"

"Strolls through the park, picinics under the stars, longhand love letters?"

"Yes," she nodded, "exactly."

"Derek wrote me a letter for my birthday."

"But he's your cousin," she rolled her green eyes.

I breathed, "Personally, I don't think romance is all of those things. Romance is loving someone whether you hook up or not. It's watching movies together and listening to each other and dancing. It's being silly and singing and screwing up and loving each other anyway. It's knowing eacch other's favorite foods, going swimming without copping a feel." I drew the chain of my necklace into my hands, staring at the celing. "_That's_ romance."

"You'd know all about that. You and Stiles don't do anything. Because you're a good girl. You don't do that."

I smirked, "Don't be jealous."

"Really, though," she sat up and reached back, plaiting her blonde curls into a braid. "He never tries anything. He treats you like a princess, like you're the only girl in the world. Ugh, you're lucky."

Smiling, I giggled, cheeks heating up. I wanted to pout, to whimper, to tear up; I didn't want to be a princess anymore. My phone chimed, distracting me. I slid it open, checking who was texting, and slid it closed.

"Who was that?"

I shrugged, "Just Jackson."

Lydia gave me a look, lips pursed, and sighed, "I don't think you should be messing around with him."

"What?"

"It's just- I've seen the way he looks at you, like he wants to add you to his list of conquests."

I shook my head, rolling my eyes, "Don't worry- we're just friends." I smiled. "Besides, why would I down-grade from Stiles to Jackson?"

We laughed.

The door to the bathroom creaked open and Allison stepped out, all bloodshot eyes and bloodless skin. Both me and Lydia sat up, sobering, holding our breath, waiting for her to speak. She glanced at herself in the mirror: "Ugh, pretty horrible, huh?"

I shook my head, "I've seen worse." She looked at me in the reflection and I raised my hand, the hand that had closed around my own father's heart and ripped it from his body. My friend smiled sadly in recognition, in remembrance, and nodded.

"Everything will be fine, Allison," Lydia assured her as our dark haired friend sat between us.

"My dad's so pissed. I'm suprised he didn't take one of those guns and shoot a bullet straight through Scott's temple. I think he wanted to." She pressed her hands against her stomach. "He doesn't want me to see Scott until 'that boy comes over with a plan and a ring'." She blinked rapidly. "Everything is horrible. My entire life is falling apart."

"Trust me," I said, slipping my arm through hers, "things could be much worse."

She scoffed, "Like what?"

"Like your family could die in a fire that destroys your entire home?" Lydia offered, nodding to me.

Allison got quiet.

"Allison," I sighed, "things could be so, so much worse. You know they could. You've seen worse, too."

"Let's list things worse than being a pregnant teenager," Lydia smiled.

"Dying," Allison started.

I pressed my lips together in thought, "Being trampled by a herd of antelope."

Lydia announced, "Being mauled by a mountain lion."

"Being sliced in two by an animal," I stated. _Sorry, Laura._

"Being eaten by an animal," Allison countered.

"Being burned alive," I debated. _Like my whole poor family..._

"Having your throat slashed," Allison nodded, frowning. I sighed. She was obviously thinking of Kate.

"Ripping your father's heart from his body," I triumphed.

"O-o-okay," Lydia drawled, "Let all that sci-fi crap go-o-o. Let's be realistic."

Allison and I exchanged a look before smiling and laughing with our friend: "We've been watching too many supernatural shows."

"Well," our blonde friend smirked, "I can't blame you- the guys in those shows are _hot._"

I tugged on my sweater sleeves, pulling them over my hands, a smile tugging my lips apart.

* * *

><p>Derek POV<p>

I awoke to the sound of a heart beating, faster, faster, faster. I sat up in bed, wondering what the hell was going on, and realized it was coming from Marie's room. My feet touched the cold floor that creaked as I made my way to the door. _A nightmare, _I reasoned as I opened her pink bedroom door.

I wasn't prepared for what I saw.

At first, it was nothing. She was twitching in her sleep, restless, face scrunched up in an adorabley childish way that proved she was having a nightmare. And I thought _No big deal._

But then she sat up and backed against the headboard like something was crawling up the covers toward her. I frowned, watching as she kicked the covers off her legs, trying to get away from whatever was harming her. She whimpered, a smiple, pathetic sound, and I reached for her shoulders, ready to shake her and wake her up.

Her breathing got heavy and she was gasping for breath, like something- fear, maybe? -was constricting her airway. I paused, unsure what to do. She pressed against the backboard, hair looking it's natural dark color and tumbling over her shoulders as her imaginary monster got closer.

I touched the top of her head, no idea what was happening. Her arms reached out, palms up, like something was grabbing her, shaking her, pulling her. Finally, I slid my hands down the sides of her face, her neck, and took hold of her shoulder, bringing her back to reality.

"Marie?" I whispered, fingers grazing her cheek. She recoiled from my touch, forearms tight against her chest, shaking her hair, breathing labored. "Marie, what's wrong? What happened?"

She shook her head.

"Marie, it was just a dream," I assured when she brought her arms away from her chest, inspecting her forearms.

She continued shaking her head, "I thought that I was dreaming, but I wasn't- Look!" She showed me her arms, finger-shaped bruises scattered like something actually had been gripping her. I frowned, trailing my finger across one carefully as they healed and her skin returned to its unblemished state.

I lifted my head to look at her, away from her arms.

Eyebrows drawn over watering eyes, lips trembling, she whimpered, "What was it?"

"There was nothing else here, Marie," I explained, throat dry. "Nothing; No one but me and you."

"But-" she tried; I shook my head and she trailed off. "Now I'm afraid."

I slid in beside her, opening my arms. She settled against my chest and we both sighed. I pressed my cheek into her hair, "You don't need to be afraid. Nothing's gonna hurt you- not while I'm around."

**So, yeah, that's chapter 6.**

**You've met more conplications: Jackson and whatever's haunting Marie.**

**Trust me, everything will make sense later.**

**The coach & Derek teacher confrence really had no place, except that I love the coach and sincerely wanted to put him in. So, if you wish, you can ignore that part.**

**I hope you all liked it**

**Reviews are love: )**


	7. Chapter 7

**EVERYONE!**

**I'm glad everyone's liking the story : )**

**You know the rap: Marie's ours, no one else is.**

Stiles POV

"Mom's home," Scott told me, tumbs rolling over the buttons on his controller.

I never tore my eyes away from the screen, only nodding. "Ugh!" I threw my hands in the air. "Why the hell is that guy shooting at me? Their on our team!"

"They're not shooting at you- you just really suck at this game-" He jolted as his controller vibrated and turned to give me a look. I tilted my head and gave him an impish smirk:

"Ha! I just shot you in the face! Who sucks at this game now?"

"Hey, boys," Melissa set her keys on the table. We nodded our responce, thumbs twiddling with the buttons on the controllers. She sat on the arm of the couch, watching us shoot at the enemy. "Oh, no, no," she took the controller from my hands. I looked up at her, giving her my perfect puppy dog pout. "That is not how you kill somebody. _This_," she changed the weapon, "is how you kill somebody." I turned to watch the screen and she wiped out a line of enemy guys. I smiled up at her.

She wtached us play for a bit before she spoke again, "Stiles, can I talk to you for a minute?"

I paused the game, sending a glare at Scott, "Don't start playing without me- I'll get killed."

"No promises," my best friend answered as I followed his mother into the kitchen.

I sat on the table, swinging my legs like a little boy, a hyperactive habit I could never get rid of, "So, What's up?"

"Your dad asked me on a date," she started, leaning agianst the counter. I paused, everything stopping like I was frozen, but quickly regained control of myself and nodded. "I just wanted to make sure it's okay with you."

Licking my lips, I sighed and nodded. "Yeah, of course it's okay with me."

She sat beside me and put her hand on my knee, "Are you sure, Stiles? I don't want you to hate me if I become 'Dad's new girlfriend.' I really hope that we can make this work. But you have to be okay with it."

I smiled at her, "You're practically my mom, anyway. If you and my dad are happy, I'm happy. Besides," I reasoned, "I've always thought of Scott as my brother."

"Let's not get too excited, now," she laughed. When she sobered, she glanced towards the living room and leaned towards me, "What do you think about this whole baby thing?"

I contemplated my answer, chewing on my lip. "I think, if he and Allison really love each other, they'll be able to get through it."

She smiled, nodded, hopping off the table. "Good, now go kill some people and make me proud."

I saluted, "Yes, ma'm."

It wasn't until I was halfway to the couch when I realized my "ma'm" had come out sounding like "mom."

* * *

><p>Marie POV<p>

"I feel a bit like a dog, being taken to a vet," I hissed.

Derek rolled his eyes, tugging on my hand, "Just come on."

We opened the door, the little bell ringing over our heads. The vet turned, his dark, knowing eyes on us. "Ah, yes," he smiled slightly. "Mr. and Miss Hale, I've been waiting for you. Come on back."

Through the Mountain Ash gate, into the back room where Scott and Derek have both been treated, the vet had me sit on the exam table. It was cold under my legs, but I ignored the feeling as he stared at me.

"So, why exactly are you here?"

"You're the only one who could maybe help us with this," Derek answered. "Tell him, Marie."

I licked my lips, "I had a dream."

"So did Martin Luther King," The vet smiled. "Care to elaborate? Because I doubt your dream was the same as his."

"There were voices, whispering, then getting louder and louder until it was like a shrill scream. It wasn't until the voices were a scream that I could understand them."

"What did they say?"

"_You're next_."

He nodded. I looked at Derek, who gestured for me to continue.

"There were hands, skeletal hands. They came out from under my bed, clawing at the sheets."

"Did bodies follow these hands?"

I nodded, "Yeah."

"Describe them."

Derek sat beside me, pulling me against his side, his arm around my shoulders. I leaned into the touch, resting my head on his shoulder. The feeling of family, of pack, calmed me enough to explain to the vet.

"They were like Demetors in _Harry Potter_, but without their cloaks. Skeletal and- I don't know -decayed-looking, I guess? They pulled themsleves up my sheets towards me and grabbed my arms, shaking me and pulling me back with them, trying to get me under my bed."

"That's an interesting dream, Miss Hale."

I shook my head, "I thought that I was dreaming, but when I woke up, I had brusies on my arms, like someone really had been grabbing me."

"Was anyone else there?"

I looked up at Derek, who stoically answered, "No. When I heard her having a nightmare, I went into wake her up. She backed up against the headboard and kicked off her blankets. Then she held out her arms, palms up, and it looked like someone was shaking her. I finally woke up her up and we saw the bruises."

"But there was no one there?"

"No, not in reality."

"Hmm," the vet sighed, contemplating. "I think this requires further evaluation. We'll see if it happens again."

He was staring at me with his intelligent eyes and I wondered what was going to happen next.

"You can go."

Derek helped me off the table, steering me towards the door.

"Miss Hale?" I turned at the sound of the vet's voice. "I'm not sure what's going on, but, in the future, you might want to keep some things like this to yourself. We just got you back. We want it to work out so you can stay."

We were back in his car when I began to hyperventilate. "Marie?" Derek pulled off to the side of the road.

"He's going to send me back there."

"Marie, no he's-"

"There is no way I can go back there."

"Hey, hey," he reached over and grabbed my shoulders, "You're never going back there. Ever."

I nodded, breath shaking, trying to calm myself.

"Let's go home."

* * *

><p>Stiles POV<p>

There was a knock at the door.

That was what got me off my ass and away from the TV.

I opened the door, annoyed, but then I saw my girlfriend's face and I smiled. She looked pale, like a ghost, with a shock of bloodred hair, but her lips were tugged upward in a grin. "I have something I want to show you."

"Okay?" I stepped into the house. "Let me get my keys."

She nodded, waiting by the door while I grabbed my keys and my phone. We climbed into my jeep and I took her hand in mine. The CD started playing and, when the first lyrics began to play, I glanced at her.

_She takes her clothes off and she says_

_is it alright if I stay the night?_

"Sorry," I sighed, letting go of her hand to reach towards the radio, "we can change it."

She stopped me, slipping her fingers through mine. "No, it's fine," she giggled. "I like this song."

My head snapped toward her, "You do?" She nodded. "You _know_ this song?"

"It's one of Derek's favorites," she explained.

I looked back toward the road, "Oh, well, in that case, it's great to know I have something in common with Derek Hale- that's all I've ever wanted." She laughed and it brought a smile to my face and, at the Stop sign, I leaned across the middle console and captured her lips.

We were kissing on the side of the road and, while her lips moved against mine, I wondered if this was the kind of thing my dad arrested teenagers and called their parents for. Did people really get busted for making out in their cars? I hoped not, because that would be one hell of an awkward conversation-

_Is there anything I can do_

_to take your mind off_

_your troublehearted kind?_

But then Marie's lips parted under mine and a sigh escaped her mouth and I forgot everything I was thinking.

_And she said maybe, just maybe,_

_you won't end up like him._

It was dark outside, but the cucoon of my jeep was illuminated with the streetlight glowing that color that isn't yellow but isn't just regular light, the moon's silver trendrils streaming through the windshield. My hand came up to cup her cheek, and the feel of her lips against mine erased all the crazy shit from my brain. No more Scott, no more Allison, no more Jackson, no more Lydia, no more Derek; just me and Marie.

We pulled away, came back together. The digital clock blinked it's red numbers, counting down the minutes.

_She said please go slowly,_

_cause we've all been here before._

_She takes her clothes off _

_and she says_

_is it alright if I stay the night?_

_I don't remember what I said,_

_is it alright?_

Parting, we were breathless. The clock blinked 12 midnight. I trailed my hand down her cheek, licking my lips, staring into her eyes that seemed to glow brighter than usual. I wondered if she was wolfing off, or if it was just the moonlight that made her eyes look that way.

The strap to her little dress had fallen down her shoulder. My fingers made their way down her neck, past her thumping pulse, over the unblemished skin of her shoulder, and hooked themselves around that thin strap, setting it back in its place. Three words were on my tongue and I wanted so badly to say them.

A beep from a car behind us jolted me back to reality and I chuckled at her. We drove off again, hands intertwined.

Everything was alright.

**SO.**

**Did you all like it?**

**Didja? Didja? Didjadidjadidjadidja?**

**I'm actually really happy with this chapter. I feel like I accomplished something by writing the kiss scene and letting you all know what happened in Marie's dream. And the sheriff and Melissa are going out. Everything's planned out for the end- oh, but it's still so early! -and we just have to figure out the specifics and what happens in between then and now.**

**The song they listen to is "Unhappy" by Thriving Ivory. seriously, I've been listenign to it for hours because I think its so pretty. And I love pretty things.**

**Anywho, you should tell me if you liked it. Or if you didn't. Or if it made you feel absolutely nothing.**

**Reviews are love.**


	8. Chapter 8

**My dear, sweet readers~!**

**Thank you all so much for your reviews! There's nothhing that brightens my day more than an email form FanFiction that has a subject of "Review." It's thrilling, even though it's nothing new- I mean, I've been on FanFiction for 3 years. Getting a review isn't a first for me. But it's still this thrilling, wonderful feeling. They make me so happy. So, really, thank you. : )**

**So, current obsession with Sour Patch Watermelon has me on a sugar high. If this seems jumpy, I'm sorry. That's the sugar talking, not me. Actually, in Health today, we watched a movie about how bad sugar is for you. Hm, you think that would stop me from devouring it.**

**Anyway, here's the new chapter!**

Marie POV

We drove up to the Hale property and got out of his car. Derek was standing on the porch, eyebrows pulled down over his eyes, watching. I gave him a small smile, nodding my head in greeting, as I led Stiles into the dark woods. It was past midnight and I was sure my boyfriend couldn't see anything, so I took his hand and pulled him through.

Stopping in a small clearing- one much, much smaller than the one our house was built on -I turned and smiled at him. His deep brown eyes looked bright in the moonlight. "I'm gonna show you something."

He nodded, shoving his hands in his sweatshirt pockets, "I kind of put two and two together."

I nodded, licking my lips, and smiled. "Here," I flicked on the flashlight I snuck out of his jeep, knowing he wouldn't be able to see. I shown it around, the light shining through the darkness of the night. "This is where Derek and I played when we were little. When Laura was off with our fathers, learning Alpha stuff, Derek and I would come here, our secret place. We would play for hours."

He followed the light, looking around the plain clearing.

"When I was angry, I would come here and listen to the birds chirp and everything. Derek would come after me and we'd sit together and listen until I was ready to go back." I sighed, eyes scanning the area. "Seeing this place...It's like nothing's changed." I looked to him and smiled. "But everything's changed."

He came to me, taking my hips in his hands and pulling me against him. Rubbing his nose against mine, a laugh escaped his lips. I closed my eyes. "Thank you for showing me this," he whispered, his lips forming the words against my own.

We kissed, soft and simple. Nothing passionate, nothing like Ryan Gosling and Rachel McAdams in _The Notebook_, just gentle and sweet, like everything wonderful and cuddly rolled into one.

Before we could really kiss, I pulled away. He looked confused, disappointed, and I tried to give him a reassuring smile. "We should get back. It's late."

I led him through the woods again, back towards the house, scrambling over roots. I almost tripped; he laughed- "be careful, klutz" -and grabbed my arm, tugging me against his chest. I smiled at him over my shoulder. When I faced front again, I drew in a sharp breath.

One of the skeletal bodies was there again, on its stomach, arching its back and reaching towards me, its souless eyes burning into my own. I stared it down, my eyes wide and frightened, barely breathing. Its decayed, skeletal hands were dragging it across the ground, towards me, and I noticed it had no legs.

"What's wrong?" Stils questioned, his grip on my waist tightening. I blinked and, when I glanced around for the body again, it was gone.

"N-nothing," I stuttered. "Come on." I held his hand and we made our way out of the forest. I didn't know if I could take one more second in there. When we were once again in the large clearing, Derek meeting my eyes from the porch, I exhaled a shuddering, relieved breath.

* * *

><p>Papa Argent POV<p>

My wife was placing the last hot dish that would serve for our dinner when my daughter- my pregnant daughter -walked through the front door. I turned to look at her, taking in her long dark hair, her weary eyes. She looked much too grown up. Her mother smiled: "Dinner's ready."

"Yeah, I'm not really hungry."

I frowned, "Well, I'm not gonna let you starve." I nodded to her designated seat, the look in my eyes giving no room for arguement.

She only gave me a look- a twitch of her eyebrows, a rolling of her eyes -and turned away, venturing upstairs to her room. My wife gave me a look and followed after her. I sighed, sitting back in my chair. I stared at the steam rising from the dishes, mouth watering. Finally, I gave in and served myself some food, chewing as I waited for one or both of them to come downstairs.

Unsurprisingly, it was my wife who came back into the room, heels clicking against the floor. She sat across from me, staring with her wide eyes. After what seemed like an hour, she cut herself a portion of the meal. What surprised me was when she loaded another plate and stood, carrying it up the stairs.

When she came back down again, it was- once again -in silence. We chewed in silence, stared in silence, everything tense. Finally, she broke the deafening quiet:

"I hope you realize you have a daughter upstairs who sincerly believes you hate her."

I looked up from my plate and met her eyes.

"Maybe we can't understand this, maybe we have no idea what's going on, but we can at least support her and try to act like a family. Maybe you can show her you don't despise her?"

I blinked, "Honey, there's a lot more to this than-"

"Why is that not the most important thing?"

"I..." Letting out a sigh, I ran a hand down my face, placing my silverware back on the table. "There is nothing I would like more than to let her know I still love her. But there's alos the fact I don't think I can talk to her, listen to her, without letting her know that I want to kill that boy, cut him in half. and she knows I have the ability to do so."

"Well, she's pretty shaken up. Maybe you should be civil. Try."

I nodded in agreement.

* * *

><p>Derek POV<p>

"I didn't think I'd find you here," I said, stepping into the dusty room.

She looked up, red hair swinging, "What are you doing here?"

"I was worried about you," I stood behind her, meeting her eyes in the mirror. "What happened last night?"

Instead of answering my question, she stared at the reflection of the room. What an interesting figure we made in the mirror- red and black and blue and green and pink and grey. "Do you rememer what this room used to look like?" she asked.

I nodded. I could picture it easily. There used to be a piano in the one corner, a place where my mother taught us musical skills, wanting us to be well-rounded little wolves. Now, it was still a thin pile of ash, spread out across the floor. There used to be a beautiful olive green velvet settee, one that matched my eyes, but was now charred and crusty. The floors used to shine when the sun hit them.

"It was beautiful," I sighed. "We should try to recreate it."

She glanced over to the corner where the piano used to be, "Remember all the fun we had together?"

I nodded again. Of course I remembered.

_Marie couldn't have been more than seven. Her bouncy curls glinted like a dark diamond in the golden sunlight. I stared at the bow in her hair as she sat beside me on the bench. My mother smiled, lounging on the settee beside the piano. "Okay, kids," she said, "wow me."_

_My fingers touched the keys and I began to play what sounded like a simple tune. Marie sang along in her siple, childish voice, smiling:_

_"Do mi do mi do so mi do_

_Every truly cultured music student knows_

_You must learn your_

_scales and your arpeggios._

_Bring the music _

_ringing from your __chest _

_and not your nose_

_when you sing your_

_scales and your arpeggios."_

_I grinned at her, my sharp canines showing, as I was much more grown up than she, and joined in:_

_"If you're faithful to your_

_daily practicing,_

_you will find your progress is_

_encouraging._

_Do mi so mi do mi so mi fa la __so _

_it goes_

_when you do your scales and your arpeggios."_

_Marie clapped and did her part:_

_"Do mi so do-"_

_I cut her off with a bit of fast piano playing. She smled a me with her missing teeth, thinking I was something amazing, someone who could do anything. I beamed, smirked, basking in the golden spotlight she shown upon me._

_My mother cut us off there, clapping, clapping, smiling, laughing. "Bravo!"_

_I stood and bowed at the waist. Marie stood on the bench; I took her hand in mine and let her spin slightly before she curtsied and i helped her down._

She laughed, "That was great, wasn't it?"

I blinked slowly, biting my lip, "The best." I smirked at our reflection. "You still didn't answer my question- what happened last night?"

Leaning back against my chest, she shrugged, "The thing was back."

"Like in your dreams?"

She nodded, "It was right there in front of me, dragging itself along the ground, reaching its disgusting hands toward me. But then I blinked and it was gone. Stiles didn't see a thing. He must think I'm crazy." My cousin sighed, staring at our reflection. "What do you think he sees when he looks at me?"

I wrapped my arm around her waist, pressing my chest against her back, and rested my chin on her shoulder. "I think...he sees a beautiful girl who's been through more than her fair share of horrible circumstances, who hasn't deserved any of the bad things that she's faced, but can still put on a smile every day and has an amazing outlook on life."

I was rewarded with a smile: "Really?"

"Really," I tucked my forehead against her neck, breathing in deep, listening to her heartbeat, the sound of family, pack, safety.

"Do you think I'm crazy?"

"No, never." I shook my head.

"Maybe I am, though. I can't understand what this thing is. And it's torturing me. Sometimes...I think I really should be back at that place, that I never should've left."

I spun her around, my face growing hard, jaw clenching, peaceful moment gone. My eyes burned and I knew they were glowing. My voice came out rough, animalistic, more beast than human, the voice of the Alpha, of Alpha's orders. "No. You're never going back there." I felt the wolf step back, sink away into its rightful place. "You don't belong there, Marie." I tugged her against my chest, hugging her tight, afraid she might slip from my grasp and be locked away forever. "You belong here."

**So, did anyone enjoy it?**

**I really liked writing this- it was a lot of fun. :) **

**The song Derek and Marie sing and play in the flashback is "Scales and Arpeggios" from The Aristocats, which is a super adorable Disney song where two cats play piano and everyone should go watch it on Youtube right now.**

**Reviews are love, hate, and everything in between : )**


	9. Chapter 9

**Right now, I'm eating popcorn. I love popcorn. It's fantasic. all buttery and wonderful and *sigh* ...So I really like popcorn. Usually, I'd be eating Honey Roasted Peanuts or Crunchy Peanut Butter, but...alas, we're all out. So popcorn it is.**

**I was asked for a speedy update. Here it is! :D**

**We really only own Marie.**

jackson POV

"Come on, Lydia. For me."

She pursed her lips and rolled her eyes in my direction, "Why should I do anything for you?"

I gripped the steering wheel, staring out through the windsheild at the expanse of water in front of us. We used to drive here to get privacy, telling our parents we were just going to talk. We used to strip off each other's clothes. We used to giggle when headlights drove by, glinting against the windshield. That was the main reason I had brought her there. So, maybe she would remember, get sentimental, and go along with what I said.

"We both know it's going to end sooner or later. They're not right for each other."

She scoffed, glossy lips parting to show her white teeth. "They're perfect for each other and you know it. Stiles treats her like a princess and they love each other. I'm not going to help you ruin it." She folded her arms across her chest.

Headlights shown and I blinked my eyes, recovering from the sudden light. The car parked- the squad car, damn it -and Stiles' dad stepped out. "What are you two doing here so late at night?"

I gave him an apologetic smile, "Sorry. We were having a bit of a lover's spat and didn't want to fight in front of my parents, so we figured it'd be best to get some privacy."

He looked to Lydia, "You're here by choice, Lydia?"

She nodded, looking the perfect part of a pissed girlfriend, sighing and uncrossing her arms, leaning over the middle console towards the sheriff, "Sorry, Sheriff. I'll get the _asshole_ to take me home."

The older man seemed content, sure his son's girlfriend's friend was safe, and walked away with a small, "Take it easy now."

We quickly turned away from each other. She rested her head against her window; I looked out mine. "Why did you bring me here?" she huffed.

I decided to try a new angle, turning and giving her my you-can't-resist-me smile. "Remember all the fun we used to have here?"

"If by 'fun' you mean 'sex,' I'm trying to forget it."

Rolling my eyes, I tried to look earnest. "Lydia, come on, please. You've got to help me out here. We both know something weird is going on and Marie's at the center of it. I know you've noticed. That can't spell anything good for Stiles."

She sighed, turing away from the window and giving me a look, like she wasn't sure she should be consenting. "What do you want me to do?"

I opened my mouth, telling my former love to wreck it all.

* * *

><p>Derek POV<p>

I watched from the doorway, needing to take a piss, as Marie checked herself over in the mirror. She fluffed her hair, pursing her lips, rasing her eyebrows, smiling, laughing, getting every possible view of herself to make sure she was ready for school. I rolled my eyes, chuckling. I would never understand teenage girls.

"What's funny?" she turned to me.

I shook my head, "Nothing. You."

She went back to admiring herself. She bit her lip, fluttered her eyelashes, opened her mouth in suprise. I couldn't hold back a laugh.

But, suddenly, nothing was funny.

Because that wasn't a new expression she was trying. No, it wasn't. she was terrfied, eyes wide. I stepped forward as her breathing came in deep gasps. I could hear her heart stopping, pausing, but still speeding up. I couldn't see anything but her in the mirror, but whatever she saw was terrifying.

She screamed- a blood-curdling, shrill scream. Her eyes went green and her hand shot out, smashing the mirror to pieces. Her breathing slowed as I rushed forward. The shards of glass dropped into the sink, the blood streaming from the multiple gashes on her hand painting them a shade of red that matched her hair.

Marie wouldn't look at me, staring into the sink of blood and shards of reflective glass. I took her hand in mine, mind racing about what to do. Of course, it would heal completely within the hour, but could I let her go to school with a cut- but healing -hand? I glanced down at her outfit, seeing some blood had splattered across her shirt like small red cherries that didn't belong.

"Marie?" I whispered.

She shook her head and dropped to the ground, turning her body for she could press her back aganst the sink cabinets. She took deep breaths, trying to calm her heart. She looked at me. "It was back- they were back. It came out of the shower, just slipping out like the curtain wasn't even there. It came up behind me, one hand around its own throat, the other reaching for me. Oh, God." She shuddered and covered her face with her hands.

I took her wrists gently, pulling her hands away from her face. Blood was smeared across her cheek. She licked her lips, eyes watering, and whimpered, "I'm going insane, Derek."

"It's okay," I shook my head, reaching out and running a hand over her hair. "It's all going to be alright."

I felt horrible, lying to her.

* * *

><p>(This is still Derek's POV, in case you can't tell)<p>

I grabbed the man's shirt, slamming him against the wall. He made no move, face straight, like he was made of stone. "Yes, Mr. Hale?"

I growled, eyes flashing blue, "What the hell is wrong with her? And don't tell me you need more time because we sure as hell don't have it. It's not just her dreams anymore and I don't want nor need her to suffer any more than she already has."

"For all you know, Mr. Hale," he said, calm as ever, "this is just a figment of her imagination."

"A- a- a- a _figment?_" I sputtered. "A figment? Are your freakin' kidding me? Your imagination doesn't give you bruises. It doesn't attack you every night and day, trying to grab you and take you away. A freakin' figment of your imagination doesn't do this! So either you're bullshitting me or you just don't know anything."

"You're right," he nodded. "I don't know anything. I know absolutely nothing about this. I've never handled anything like this before. But I will try and help you, Mr. Hale. I want to help you rid her of whatever this is. But you must be patient. I must understand this, first."

I growled, "What don't you understand? Something's trying to take her. Something is coming after her. Something is hurting her!"

He responded so calmly I wanted to rip his face off, "Yes, Mr. Hale. Something we can't see." He placed his hands over mine. "Now, if you please, let me down."

I let him go, stepping away. He gestured to the exam table and I hopped up on it, sitting, facing him.

"Now," he started, "tell me everything you know about this."

* * *

><p>Stiles POV<p>

I like naps, okay?

Every day after school, if my Adderall had worn off, I would take a quick nap, usually have a dream about singing candy canes or a cat in a kilt or something equally strange. I never understood why kindergarteners got Nap-Time and high schooler's didn't. Nap Time was easily the best time of the day. And, teenagers needed it way more.

Anyway.

So, like every other day, I went home, dropped my bag, and collapsed on my bed. I closed my eyes, snuggling into my sheets.

My dream wasn't the usual Alice-In-Wonderland-Am-I-Frickin'-On-Something-Hookah-Smoking-Catepillar kind of dream. It was dark. There were three kids in front of me, playing in a clearing, their backs to me. The one- obviously a girl, older than the rest -with long dark curls had a basket in her hands.

The boy- the only boy, obviously the middle child -wore a black T-shirt and a wolfish grin. He looked to the smallest- a little girl with fairy dress-up wings over a red sweatshirt way too large for her, red hood pulled over her short, dark curls -and they smiled at each other.

"Ready?" the oldest said. "Set? Action!"

The boy grinned, snarling, and his canines elongated, eyes glowed blue. He lunged for the smallest girl. I wanted to cry out, tell her to be careful. What the hell was the boy doing?

The little girl danced away, forever just out of the boys's grasp.

He finally caught her, arms around her waist, lifting her off the ground. "Why, it's Litte Red Riding Hood!" he laughed, fangs shrinking back into normal teeth. She giggled happily, content with being caught. He let her go, backing off for the next round. The eldest smiled.

The little girl ran to the edge of the woods, preparing. Suddenly, a dark cloud surrounded her and she looked terrified. Skeletal hands, decayed hands, emerged from the cloud, grabbing the little girl, one hand around her throat, two grabbing her ankles, one over her heart, two over her mouth. Her eyes were wide. I wanted to scream.

The boy, who was standing in front of me, just off to the side a little, was shaking, not knowing what to do as the hands dragged the little girl back into the darkness. He looked urgently to the older girl- now the only girl- who turned to him and me. Her pursed lips pulled apart, into a kind-of smile, a sort-of grimance:

"You're too late."

I woke up.

I was breathing heaily. Damn, I thought I'd stopped having nightmares like that- where people disappeared -after my mom died. I exhaled heavily, running a hand over my hair. "Damn. What a nightmare."

Something in me told my mind I should call Scott or Jackson or Derek, let him know, that this was something big. I acted on the urge, scrolling through my contacts. Scott? Nah, he had enough on his shoulders. Jackson? Yeah, right. Derek? If I called him, he'd probably just threaten to rip my throat out.

I called him anyway.

"Derek?"

"What, Stiles?"

"Something happened."

His voice was no longer annoyed, more interested, slightly concerned. "Yeah?"

"I had a dream. There were children. And these creepy-ass hands. I think they were trying to warn us."

"Did they say anything?"

I nodded, even though he couldn't see me. "The one kid said 'You're too late'."

He was quiet for a bit and I wondered if he had hung up. Finally, he responded. "It's nothing, Stiles."

"But-"

"NOTHING. It's nothing. Let it go. Forget it."

He hung up.

* * *

><p>(Still Stiles POV)<p>

When Derek answered the door with a glare that could blast a glass cup to smitherines, I gulped. "I-i-is Marie home?"

He frowned, looking tired. "Go home, Stiles."

"No, I want to talk ot her- she wasn't in school today."

"You don't think I know that?" he growled, snarled, suddenly fierce, suddenly rip-you-to-pieces scary. My heart sped up. "You don't think I've been home with her all day? She's sick, okay? Go home."

"Werewolves can't get sick, can they?"

Suddenly, Marie was ducking under her cousin's arm, smiling wearily at me. "Stiles, please go home. I'm not feeling well right now."

"What's wrong?"

"I'm just not feeling well. I'll be fine in the morning. I'll see you tomorrow, okay?"

I nodded, eyebrows pulled together. "Yeah. Sure."

She leaned out the door, pressing her lips to my cheek. "See you."

"Yeah."

The door shut in my face."

**Well, I hope you all enjoyed that. Amanda seems to approve, so I guess it's good.**

**Reviews are love, hate, and everything in between. :)**


	10. Chapter 10

**HeyHeyHey Everybody!**

**Okay, so we passed 70 reviews! Who's excited? I AM! And...um, isn't this the tenth chapter? Yeah, I think it is. So, who's awesome? That's right. You are. You all give me that feeling like when my arm goes to sleep, or like I can see a lucky eyelash falling into an ocean of the abyss of love over a double rainbow. Thank you all so much. :)**

**You all know we really only own Marie. **

Marie POV

We closed the door and I turned, never even glancing at Derek, making my way up to my room. I dropped onto my bed, picking Luke The Turtle up and touching my nose to his.

"You can't keep lying to him."

I looked up. Derek was staring at me from the doorway, causally leaning against the frame. His bare, muscled arms were folded across an equally bare and muscled chest as he stared me down. His expression was one of pitying, one that said he didn't want to put me through this.

"Why?"

"Because he'll just end up getting hurt. You either have to tell him the truth or sever your ties to him."

"Why?" I licked my lips.

"Marie, don't you understand-?"

Head snapping up, I glared at him, voice harsh. "Of course I understand! But I'm through being polite, damn it! I through sitting around and giving up the things that I want because things will get difficult! I through with all this damn insainty!" I stood. "Why should I have to choose- tell him or let him go? Why can't I figure this out on my own and keep him by my side?"

He seemed shocked at my outburst: "Shit, Marie..." He blinked, composed his arguement. "Listen, you have to do what you have to do. Life isn't fair. Life has never been freakin' fair for anyone and that's just the way it is."

I stormed out of the room, out of the house. I sat behind the house, pulling my knees against my chest. I took a deep breath. In, out, calming my heart rate.

A couple minutes later, Derek sat beside me. "Here," he held something out. I took it, turning it over in my hands. "Remember her?" It was an old doll, broken, glass eyes loose and rolling, face and dress charred. "I found her in my room yesterday."

"Darian," I smiled, brushing her cripsy hair away from her burst face.

"You named her Darian because her nickname could be 'Dare' and that sounded the same as 'Der,' the nickname for Derek" He smiled, chuckling. "I remember, after you told me that, you made sure to remind me that another nickname for Derek could be 'Ick'."

I giggled.

We sat in silence for a moment or two. Then, he broke it: "What are you going to do?"

I sighed and thought. Hoisting the doll up, I turned it to face him, holding her in front of my face. I made my voice high-pitched, a voice that was obviously supposed to be the doll's. "Keep. Stiles. Safe."

* * *

><p>Stiles POV<p>

We sat in my car. It was so quiet I could hear the bugs moving through the grass outside. Parked outside the school, I noticed Derek's black-as-sin car not too far away. _What is he doing here?_

_"_Marie, what's wrong?" I sighed. "You said you had to tell me something."

I looked over at her. She was in a thin-strapped dress, pink with butterflies, and my rainbow flannel shirt pulled over her shoulders. She was twiddling her thumbs in her lap, red hair hiding her face. She lifted her head and looked out the window.

"I know when you hear what I have to say, you'll realize that I'm not who you think I am at all."

I chuckled weakly. "You know that is not true."

"Stiles, there's so much I've never told you, so much you don't know about me..."

I frowned slightly, "Why do you think you can't tell me? You know you can trust me, Marie."

She took a deep breath, "Before I lived with Derek, before I came back here, I was living in a place called The Home For Peculiar Children. For six years. It's a mental asylum, for, like, the clinically insane. I lived in a fairytale world where I was a princess and my prince was going to come and rescue me."

I stared at her in confusion.

"I dyed my hair red because I remembered Ariel from _The_ _Little Mermaid_. I knew she was a princess and she had a prince with dark hair and blue eyes- just like the prince I saw in my mind -and I _needed_ to be like her, so my prince would come and save me and take me away and I could have a happily ever after."

My mouth worked, lips moved, wanting to form words, sounds, but I couldn't force myself to speak.

"But that was all a trick of my mind. Derek came for me and I realized that I had been living in this crazy state of mind, living in a world that didn't even exist. I was in a mental asylum. That's where I was."

As she said all this, she never once looked at me.

"Marie-"

She shook her head, "And I'm not cured, or anything. I'm crazier now, even. Things have been hapening and I can't explain them and everything is so screwed up. My mind...I'm not even sure if the things that happen are real or not."

We sat in silence for awhile as the newfound information seeped into my brain. _Okay, _I thought, _okay, we can deal with this._ I looked at her, licking my lips. "Marie, you know I don't care about any of that- I care about you." I reached for her hand, taking it in mine, smiling at her. She still didn't look my way. "I _love_ you."

I was met with a silence that seemed to stretch on into forever. I was desperate. I wanted to ask her if she loved me, but I didn't want to seem so weak. I chewed on my lip until the silence was unbearable and I had to break it:

"Do you think you might want to love me, too?"

Once again, nothing but silence was my response. She lifted her head, looked out the winodw.

I swallowed, throat thick. My heart felt like it had been thrown in a blender, throbbing, pumping pain into my system with every beat:

"I thought we felt the same way about each other."

I let her hand go, staring down at my lap. We hadn't even lasted a year.

"I'm sorry," she whispered, whimpering, sounding close to tears. She made to slip of my flannel shirt, but I stopped her with a shake of my head.

"No, keep it," I picked her purse off the carpet by her feet, placing it in her hands. "I hope you enjoyed our time together." When she didn't move, I huffed, "I think you should go."

She looked at me, blue eyes watery, but I turned away, gripping the steering wheel, staring out the windsheild. I heard the passenger door slam closed. I watched her run over to her cousin, who wrapped his strong arms around her, hugging her tightly before they climbed into his dark car. They sped off.

I bit my lip hard, eyes stinging, and tore out of the parking lot at a speed that my dad would definately arrest me for.

* * *

><p>Sheriff POV<p>

Stiles came stumbling into the kitchen, looking weary and confused. I looked up from my paperwork and raised an eyebrow, "You okay there, son?"

"Yeah," he proceeded to make coffee, "just...some crazy teenage shit going on." He poured himself a cup, adding mountains of sugar and waterfalls of milk. He lifted it to his lips, taking a small sip before meeting my eyes. "Oh, and I wanted to let you know I'm okay with you and Melissa going out." I think I heard him mutter, "One of us deserves to be happy."

"Well, thank you."

"And I'm sorry for being such an asshole when we first talked about it. I just...I miss Mom a lot and...It's hard to believe, even after all this time, that she's never coming back. She's gone."

"I know she's gone," I met his eyes, the eyes that were just like her's, large and chocolate brown, eyes that are all I have left of her, "You remind me every day." I continued to look at him and noticed how watery those eyes were. "Stiles, what's wrong?"

"Nothing," he shook his head.

I stared him down, "Tell me."

He looked down, "Marie and I broke up."

My shoulders slumped, "I'm sorry."

He ran a hand over his hair, shaking his head. He put his coffee down. "I'll get over it."

* * *

><p>Marie POV<p>

I stood in front of my full-length mirror. So far, this one had escaped the skeletal beings. I smiled at my reflection, fluffing my red hair. No under-eye bags, no redness visible around my eyes. No one would be able to tell I'd spent the night in my room, crying into Derek's shoulder. The bottom of my bedspread moved and I stopped, watching it intently in the mirror.

The being crawled out and I could do nothing but watch. Its one hand reached for me, the other locked around its throat. I wondered why. I shook my head, "S-s-stay away." It was the first time I had spoken to one of them.

It advanced towards me, the decayed, Dementor-like hand grabbing my shoulder. I wanted to scream, but I couldn't. Suddenly, instead of pulling me backward, into the darkness, it grabbed me tightly around the throat and, suddenly, everything felt different, like I was myself, but I still wasn't me.

I looked into the mirror. The being was gone. I smirked, shrugged, and leaned forward, fluffing my dark curls.

* * *

><p>Derek POV<p>

I walked into the house, sweating, after my early morning run, and immediately heard Marie singing, a smiple "ah, ah, ah". I smiled as I listened to her strange song, making my way up the stairs.

When I arrived at her open door, I leaned against the doorframe. She grinned at her mirror, running her fingers through her hair. My mouth twitched, wanting to widen my grin. Smiling was becoming a common accurence for me.

She began to sing to herself.

_"What a lovely little girl I make,_

_my dear, I look divine._

_Everything is working out according to my_

_ultimate design._

_Soon I'll have that little werewolf_

_and the family will be mine!"_

She started to laugh like a maniac, crazily, like a Disney villian. Usually her singing would cause me to smile, to tease her. But I was so wary- she wasn't acting like herself -that I did the only thing I could do. I said, stunned, "Marie?"

She turned and her eyes were glowing green, the color of her wolf, and she smirked at me. I marched forward and grabbed her shoulders, eyebrows drawn together. My cousin blinked and I was looking back into her blue eyes. "What's wrong, Derek?"

"Are you okay?"

She nodded, shrugging me off and turning back to the mirror. She tilted her head to the side, pulling all her hair to one side of her neck. "My hair..."

"What about it?"

"It's red."

"Yeah?"

"But...it was just black."

"No, Marie- you're hair's been red for years," I stepped closer, concerned.

"Oh," she whispered, running her fingers through her hair.

I put my hands on her shoulders and slid them up and down her arms, "I think you look pretty with red hair."

We were silent, and then: "Derek, can you drive me to the store?"

* * *

><p>Stiles POV<p>

"Hey," Danny sat in front of me, turning in his seat and smiling.

I looked up, "Hi."

"So, I heard about you and Marie-"

"How did you hear?"

"Jackson told me. Apparently, she's pretty shaken up. Jackson said she was all laid up in bed with a broken heart when he went to see her cousin."

I frowned, "She's the one that ended it. She doesn't have a right to be shaken up."

"Anyway," the other boy chuckled, "I just wanted to say I feel for you. You guys always seemed so perfect for each other. And it's kind of like watching the death of all romance, seeing you two...not together."

I nodded, smiling a little, "Heartbreak sucks. I guess that's why there's like two billion songs written about it."

Danny laughed, "Yeah. Well, I just wanted to say I was sorry about the whole break up." He moved as if to turn back around, but stopped and sent me a smile: "And, for the recond, yeah, I guess you're a pretty attractive guy."

The bell rang and he turned towards the front as the teacher stood up, ready to begin class.

Awhile later, a girl walked into our classroom and everyone stopped to stare. She met my eyes and looked away quickly. My mouth dropped open- I'd know those eyes anywhere. She was looking at the teacher: "Sorry I'm late."

The teacher waved his hand, shooing her away to her seat. She sat down beside me, dropping her bag, rooting through it and pulling out her books.

"Hey," Danny smiled at her.

_Thank you for Danny, whatever god exists._ He was doing what I couldn't, even though I wanted to.

She gave him a wary smile, fliiping her dark curls over her shoulder, "Hey."

"Did you dye your hair?"

Nodding, she twirled a dark strand around her finger. "Yeah. It's my natural color, so I figured it'd be a nice change." She tilted her head to the side. "You don't like it?"

He looked to me out of the corner of his eyes before meeting her's again. "I didn't say that. It's just really different than what I'm used to. I'll miss your red hair."

She shrugged, "Maybe it'll be back someday."

**So, that's it for now.**

**I know, I know, you all hate me. *cries into tissue* It's okay. I hate myself a little, too. But their break up is essential to the plot. It's a big deal. ...that doesn't make me feel any less bad for doing it.**

**THEY WERE SO PERFECT TOGETHER!**

***cries hysterically***

**The break-up was insipred by Spencer and Toby's break-up in the last episode of season 2 of Pretty Little Liars. Seriously, Spencer's my least favorite out of the four, but her and Toby was just too cute. **

**The song Marie sings is my very own twisted version of "Vanessa's Song" from The Little Mermaid. At least, I think it's clled Vanessa's Song. It's the song Ursula sings in her pretty form before the wedding, but twisted to fit the situation.**

**I hope you all enjoyed it**

**Reviews are hate, love, and everything in between:)**


	11. Chapter 11

**MY DEAR READERS!**

**So, I absolutely love all of you. I really do. You're all so great. Your reviews were fantasic. Don't worry- everything will work out. Maybe not for the best, but it'll work out.**

**So, okay, Stiles does some things in this that are A) against the law and B) really stupid. I want everyone to know I don't support his decisons, but they're very needed for this chapter. So, this is kind of a "Don't Try This At Home" warning because you will wither A) get arrested or B) possibly die or C) maybe kill someone else. So don't try anything Stiles does. Kaykay?**

**You know the rap: Marie's ours, no one else is.**

Lydia POV

"I don't know what you did, Jackson, but you're a horrible person for doing it," I stared out the window of his silver car, watching the rain hit the window. We were parked at the lake again, the same place we used to go when we were dating.

"I didn't do anything."

I rolled my eyes over to him, pursing my lips. "Like I should believe you. Marie is torn up about their break-up and have you seen her hair? It's black. It doesn't suit her; it's not her. And Stiles. That poor boy looks depressed, like someone told him the sun has stopped shining." I looked away. "Whatever you did- you're going to Hell for it."

"You'll be going with me, Lydia."

I shook my head, "I didn't do anything."

"Neither did I. Neither of us did anything. I told you something like this would happen. I told you Stiles would get hurt." He huffed. "I hoped you would help me because I know that no matter how great a friend you think yourself you miss him puppy-dogging after you and you want all of his attention."

I shrugged.

"And, now, you're going to pick up the pieces," he told me. I looked over, eyebrows pulling together. "You're going to make Stiles feel like a hundred bucks. You're going to make sure he forgets Marie ever meant anything to him. You're going to make all his little fantasies come true."

"No," I answered, folding my arms across my chest.

He reached over, grabbed my chin. Something that felt much sharper than nails dug into my skin. His eyes glowed in the moonlight- no, literally. They glowed, a fierce yellow-gold, so different from his usual blue eyes. His breathing was heavy, fanning across my face. I swallowed.

He opened his mouth and his canines were elongated. My eyes widened.

"Oh, yes, you will, Lydia. You'll do exactly as I say. Because, if you don't, I'll rip your pretty little throat out- with my teeth."

I nodded, "Okay."

* * *

><p>Stiles POV<p>

I opened the door.

Lydia was on my porch, a big smile stretching her lips, the rain a heavy background. "Hi."

"Hey?"

She held up her purse like it was an explanation. "I heard about the break-up. And, well, I figured you could use a friend to talk to."

"Are we even friends?" I rubbed a hand over my hair.

Rolling her eyes, she smiled with glossed lips. "Of course. And, you know, everyone needs someone to talk to after a break-up. I had Marie and Allison after Jackson and I broke up." She pushed past me, letting herself in. She dropped her purse to the couch. "Scott's busy wth Allison and their bad episode of Teen Mom and Marie has Derek and Jackson, so I thought maybe you could talk to me?"

She reached into her bag and pulled out a bottle of vodka and a bottle of Jack Daniel's. I felt myself grinning.

Before I knew it, I was sitting on the floor, back against the couch, drowning my sorrows deep in a bottle of Jack. Lydia was beside me, her strawberry blonde curls falling over her shoulders, her long fingers wrapped around the neck of her vodka bottle.

Soon, I was feeling buzzed, blinking back the dizzying feeling of getting drunk. Not too distantly after I began feeling that lightheaded buzz, Lydia was leaning in, pressing her glossed lips against mine.

I kissed her back, lips working together. I cleared my fizzing head as she reached for me, her hands touching my face, sliding down my neck, taking the top button on my flannel shirt in her manicured fingers, slipping the buttons through their holes.

It was a different kiss, only a little faster and more passionate than I was used to. I felt her nails unbuttoning just above my bellybutton and I shook my head, pulling away. She frowned, lipgloss smeared, staring at me with wide green eyes.

"What?"

I took her fingers in my hands, pulling them away from my body, resting them back in her lap. "I- I can't do this."

She watched as I stood up, grabbing my bottle as I made my way to my feet. Blinking up at me, lips parted, she seemed to be asking a silent quetsion. I gave her an apologetic look, shrugging. I took another swing from the bottle as I unlocked my jeep, rain soaking into my skin, and another as I started the engine.

The bottle was empty by the time I pulled up to the Hale House.

* * *

><p>Derek POV<p>

Marie was asleep against my chest, curled up safely in my arms. I stared down at the top of her head, the dark hair, and pressed my cheek into the curls. I closed my eyes, trying to sleep, but still not allowing myself to, because caring for and protecting the most vauled member of my pack was more important.

The most prominent sound was the rain beating against the windows. It was slowing slightly, only slightly.

My head snapped up, the distant sound of Stiles' jeep rumbling down the unpaved road reaching my ears. I waited until he was close enough to hear him muttering and slipped away from Marie, laying her down, brushing the hair away from her face.

I was on the porch when he pulled up. The human stumbled out of his car. He met my eyes, "You. I- I need Marie. I need to see her."

"Stiles, you should go home."

"No, I need to see her," he pouted, stumbling forward. "Now get your stupid Alpha ass out of my way, Derek."

I raised my eyebrows as he approached. When he was close enough, I grabbed his wrists and kept him from entering the house. "Stiles, I'll ignore your comments because I can smell the alcohol all over you. You don't know what you're doing. I'm going to call Scott and get him to pick you up."

"NO!" He fought against my grip. "NO! I need to see her!"

"Stiles-!" I growled, cut off by a voice behind me.

"Derek?"

I turned, hearing the voice from behind me. Marie was standing in the doorway, big blue eyes wide, fingers gripping the doorframe.

"You," Stiles saw her. "Marie. I need to talk to you."

I watched her lick her lips before nodding. "Derek," she looked to me, "Maybe you should go for a run." I opened my mouth to protest, but she shook her head. "Go pick Scott up. We'll need him to take Stiles home." I nodded and released the boy's wrists, taking off down the wet road reluctantly.

* * *

><p>Marie POV<p>

"What are you doing here?"

He frowned at that, lips pouting. He made his way up the porch steps, taking my hands in his. "I needed to see you."

"You smell like booze."

He smiled, lopsided, "Only a bit." His fingers tangled in my hair. "I liked your hair better red, you know."

"Is that what you came to tell me?"

He shook his head, open flannel shirt flapping in the breeze, wet undershirt stuck against his stomach, "No. I came to tell you that I love you. I love you so frickin' much. And...and you torture me, you know that? Because I want you, I _love_ you, so frickin' much, but I _hate_ you."

I nodded, "I'm sorry, Stiles."

Tugging me closer, he pouted, "You've ruined me, you know? Lydia was all over me a few minutes ago, would've done anything I wanted, completely willing, and I couldn't stop thinking about you. The girl I've crushed on since third frickin' grade wanted me and I couldn't do anything because I'm in love with you."

I touched his soaked chest as he pulled me against him, his dripping clothes dampening my own. "Stiles-" I looked up at him, into his big brown eyes, but was cut off my the press of his lips against mine.

I could feel the water droplets slipping off his lips onto mine and then back to his again. I could feel his fingers tangling into my hair, holding me to him. I knew I shouldn't have been kissing him back. I would hate myself afterward. It would make everything so much harder.

But it felt so utterly right like that, chest to chest, nose to nose, lips to lips, with him. I couldn't find it in myself to push him away. I wrapped my arms around his neck, tugging him closer. We parted for a brief moment, ctaching our breath, lips brushing like the softest touch of a butterfly. He was pulling me back in for another kiss. "I love-" I would never, ever tell him, but I loved him, too "-how much you hate me."

We kissed again. And I did nothing to stop it.

By the time I was focused enough to notice sounds other than our breathing and our heartbeats, smart enough to pull away and save us both more heartbreak, there were hands on my shoulders, pulling me away from him.

I opened my eyes. Scott was standing behind Stiles, a hand on his shoulder, ready to take his intoxicated friend home. Derek was in front of me, protecting my fragile heart and unstable mind. "What are you doing? Get away from her! Don't you ever touch her again!"

Stiles let out a small growl, like he was a wolf, too. "Don't tell me what to do! You don't know what she wants! She doesn't even know what she wants!"

"Then wait for her to tell you what she wants."

They were glaring at each other, staring each other down. "Fine," Stiles spat, "but we both know that she will." He looked over Derek's shoulder and met my eyes. "Because I'm not the only one in love. She's in love with me, too."

"Go back inside, Marie," Derek ordered. I nodded, stepping through the door, looking away from Stiles' eyes, leaving him in the cold rain, his clothes clinging to his frame.

* * *

><p>Derek POV<p>

Once Tweedle Dee and Tweedle Dum were gone, I ventured back into the house. I found Marie in her bedroom, sitting on her bed in new, dry pajamas. I sat beside her, drawing her into my arms.

"That was so stupid," she muttered.

I didn't comment, just pressed my lips to the top of her head, letting her balance her emotions out.

"We don't have to stay here," I told her, listening to our heartbeats, perfect music, beating together. She looked up at me. "We could leave, go anywhere. We could leave, make it like we were never here."

"Where would we go?"

"I don't know. Anywhere. France, England, Canada. We could tarvel the world. Mexico's closest, maybe we could start there."

She giggled; I was glad I was able to distract her with a silly fantasy. We both knew we could never really leave Beacon Hills. This was where our family was, alive or not. This was where our pack was. We were the last Hales and our extended pack needed us. Beacon Hills was home.

Pressing a kiss to my cheek, she rested her head against her shoulder, sighing, "I screw everything up."

"No, you don't. Our lives are just complicated."

We sat together in silence before she suggested, "Let's sleep."

Crawling under the pink-orange-yellow covers, we snuggled together, holding onto the only sure thing left in our lives. I whispered, "Sweet dreams."

She giggled, "Are made of this?"

I shrugged, "Who am I to disagree?"

"The Things disagree," she told me, burying her face in my chest. "I don't have sweet dreams anymore."

I closed my eyes and tried to barter with whoever I could that she could have sweet dreams and I could take her nightmares.

* * *

><p>Allison POV<p>

"And so Scott and I decided-"

"No offense," Lydia interupted, "but whenever I talk to you, I feel like I'm on a bad episode of Teen Mom. Let's talk about something not baby related."

"Don't you want to hear our name ideas?" I pouted into the mirror, holding the phone against my ear.

"Okay, yeah."

"For a girl, I want Kate." I brushed my hair awya form my face, smiling.

"After your aunt," Lydia commented.

I nodded. "Of course. She deserves some recognition. She was a great person."

"And, Scott wants...?"

I rolled my eyes, "He says he thinks _Laura_ is a pretty name, but maybe can we name the baby after Stiles' mom if it's a girl? Ugh."

"Laura is a pretty name," my friend announced. I frowned. "Why don't you like it?"

"Because," I sighed, exasperated, "it's the name of Marie's cousin- you know, Derek's sister, the one who got cut in half and left in the woods."

"Speaking of Marie, hear about the break-up?"

I flopped onto my bed, "Yeah, poor Stiles."

"I tried to cheer him up. It didn't work."

"How so?"

"He didn't seem to want to...be cheered up." She sighed, "He just wanted Marie. Oh, another thing. Has she been acting weird? I mean, she just seems off, like, even before the break-up."

"She's not who you think she is," I told her. "She's lying to everyone. She's trying to tear the town apart."

"Whoa, Allison, chill."

"No," I sat up. "She is. Ugh, sometimes I think she's such a bitch."

"Why?"

I rolled my shoulders, "It's just...I feel like the whole Sweet-N-Innocent thing is an act, like there's a whole other person under that."

"I don't think I'll ever believe that."

"Because you believe the lie she's feeding everyone."

"You know what, Allison? You're being the bitch."

The called ended.

* * *

><p>Marie POV<p>

"Well, she seems pretty mad at you," Lydia announced, like it hadn't been a three-way call, like I hadn't heard everything Allison had said about me.

"Ugh," I settled back against Derek's chest, watching the TV screen as Belle and the Beast danced. "I don't understand why she's so angry at me."

"Hormones," was Lydia's excuse.

"Whatever," I sighed, "I don't care. It'll all blow over soon. See you tomorrow?" We hung up.

Derek growled, "Allison should feel lucky she's carrying that baby. I should rip her apart for saying those things about you. She's very lucky I have more respect for the innocent than Kate did."

I pressed my forehead against his neck, "It's not that big of a deal. Didn't you ever watch _Mean Girls_?"

* * *

><p>Derek POV<p>

I was jolted awake my Marie kicking me. I sat up, pulling her up with me, watching her struggle against me and things I couldn't see. I watched her swing, try to fight them off. I heard her whimper, gasp for breath, scream. She reached up, hand grabbing at the air around her throat, batting at her chest, trying to get the away.

I watched, horrified, as whatever this was obviously grabbed her by the ankles. She lashed out, kicking, kicking, screaming. My eyes widened when she moved down the bed as if pulled. I wrapped my arms around her torso, dragging her back up against my chest. I wouldn't let it get her.

She was still clawing at her chest, trying to get the thing away from her. I grabbed her fingers, sqeezing her hand until she woke up. Her large blue eyes blinked open and she stared at me, open mouthed, "I'm sor-"

I shook my head, "It's alright. Go back to sleep."

She did as I ordered. She curled against my chest again, sleeping soundly, heart slowing. I looked down at her ankles, where one of the things had grabbed her.

Bruises littered her ankles, slowly healing. I sighed, chewing my lip.

"I'm sorry I can't protect you."

**So, did anyone enjoy it?**

**This si the longest chapter ever! Over 3,000 words! Isn't that exciting, children? Not that you're children, because most of you aren't, unless we've got little kids watching Teen Wolf and reading Fanfiction. Btw, did you know there's Tellitubbies fanfiction? Yeah, it's true.**

**ANYWHO.**

**I hope you all liked it. I had a lot of fun writing it. This story really is, like, my life right now. I'm always thinking about it and it's great to know other people like it.**

**Oh, and there's a little pun about a song Derek and Marie use. See if you can find it.**

**Reviews are love, hate, and everything in between.**


	12. Chapter 12

**Heyyyyyyyguyyyyyyyysss.**

**So, BIG TIME SKIP HERE! **

**You would get super-bored, listening to me go on and on about Allison's pregnancy and Stiles missing Marie and Marie missing Stiles and Stiles sticking with Scott and Marie hanging with Derek, so I figured (for the sake of your minds and the story) to do a TIME SKIP. Don't worry. I tried to do it classily.**

**This is, offically, THE LONGEST CHAPTER! I just figured you wonderful readers whom I ab-sooo-lute-lee ah-doooooore deserved something really good because you've all been so wonderful to me. I really can't thank you enough for your reviews and support.**

**We really only own Marie.**

Derek POV

"Derek?" I dropped from my pull-ups, feet hitting the ground. I turned and looked to my cousin, who was watching me from the stairs, where she sat doing her homework.

"Hm?"

"What's your tattoo mean? You never told me."

I crouched down beside her, taking a dark curl and twisting it around my finger, "I'll tell you...when you dye your hair red again."

* * *

><p>Three months into Allison's pregnancy, Marie woke up in the woods, blue eyes seeing the sky through the canopy of trees, a blanket of leaves under her, dark hair spread out around her. She blinked, looked to the side, stared around until the reailty hit her and she sat up, alarmed.<p>

She thought back and remembered her night, remembered coming out there, just to go for a walk. She remebered the skeletal being, the one with no legs, had come after her, dragging itself across the ground on its stomach until it could reach her, grabbing at her ankles and tripping her. She remembered falling to the dirt, rolling over onto her back. She remembered its souless eyes as it looked down at her, remembered bracing herself for death.

But it appeared death had not come. Warily, she stood, brushing off her clothes, and made her way, shakily, back to the Hale house.

* * *

><p>Four months into Allison's pregnancy, Stiles had found a friend in Danny. Scott was always too busy with Allison, and Lydia with Allison and Marie, and Jackson with his reflection, and there was no way in Hell he would contact Marie or Derek, but his last choice- Danny -turned out to be a pretty good one.<p>

The goalie was funny and smart, only got slightly annoyed with him anymore. Danny didn't mind listening to him ramble on, as long as it meant he could stay quiet. They made each other laugh.

Danny didn't mind that he was a last resort, since Stiles was his last resort, too. Things were getting weird in Beacon Hills again and, he figured, at least the energetic boy would keep him entertained while giving him something normal to hold onto.

* * *

><p>Five months into Allison's pregnancy, Marie was taken out of school and dyed her hair red again, at Derek's request. She learned the secret to his tattoo.<p>

He said that, orginally, in his sixteen-year-old mind, each interlocked spiral of the triskelion represented the ones he held most dear, the ones he needed to protect- one for Laura, one for himself, and one for her. Maybe, sometimes, he said, it could stand for the three parts of him- his mind, his heart, and his wolf. He told her that now, instead, it stood as a reminder of those he loved, a promise to keep the last person a spiral represented safe.

He then apologized, saying he hadn't been doing a very good job of keeping that promise.

* * *

><p>Six months into Allison's pregnancy, Jackson drove Lydia out to the lake again.<p>

Before he had a chance to speak, she was spitting out scathing words, ruthlessly questioning him, her voice icy and sharp as an icicle, are you going to threaten me again, I hate you, you stupid little asshole-

And he pressed his lips against hers, cutting her off.

We he pulled away, he whispered _I think I love you._

She told him it would take a hell of a lot more than a few pretty words to gain her trust.

He told her he was willing to try and prove himself, that she was worth it.

* * *

><p>Seven months into Allison's pregnancy, Marie's dreams were getting worse. The skeletal beings were coming more and more often. She hardly ever left the house, unless to see Lydia or Allison, the latter still angry with her.<p>

She would put her lipstick on, masking her red eyes with mascara and eyeliner, painting her nails until the bright colors matched the personality everybody saw. The girls would call, tell her to come hang out and she would put her game face on, try to smile.

Derek was her confident, the only one who could snap her back to reailty and soothe the bruises with a sweet disposition no one else ever saw, the only one who could wipe her tears, who got her to really smile.

* * *

><p>Eight months into Allison's pregnancy, the sheriff came home from a date with Melissa to the strong scent of booze. He frowned, muttering about how his underage son better not be drinking. He made his way towards the liquor cabinet where he kept all his alcohol under lock and key.<p>

He saw his son sitting on the ground, back pressed against the cabinet, empty bottles and shattered glass- both quite obviously from the cabinet -around him. His hand was cut, though it seemed the bleeding had stopped. The boy looked up, lifting his head heavily, and gave his father a bleary-eyed look. _I miss her_, his son whispered, eyes filling wth tears.

He wasn't sure if his son was talking about his mother or exgirlfriend, but, either way, he sat down beside him and wrapped an arm around the intoxicated teen's shoulders, letting the boy whimper like a kicked puppy, deciding that, maybe, just maybe, he could look the other way.

* * *

><p>Nine months into Allison's pregnancy, Marie recieved a call. She sat up, rousing Derek from his sleep to fish her phone from her bag and answer it. He growled out a hello, fulling expecting the person who dared to call so late to hang up. Instead, he was met with Lydia's squealing voice.<p>

Allison had had the baby, a sweet little girl.

* * *

><p>Jackson POV<p>

"I'm sure the baby will love it," I gripped the steering wheel. "Figured out what you're going to name her yet?"

"Allison still wants to name her Kate," Scott rolled his eyes. "And I refuse to."

"Wasn't she a crazy bitch that burnt Marie's family alive and chained her cousin up in the basement to torture him?" I glanced over at the other Beta. He nodded. I raised my eyebrows. "Well, yeah, she definately deserves a namesake."

"Exactly!" Scott exclaimed, turning the stuffed animal over in his hands. "But Allison can't see that. She thinks Kate was some kind of martyr that should have statues made in dedication and remembrance."

We drove in silence for a while, winding down the dark road, until- "Whoa!" -a figure stepped in front of my headlights, crossing the street. Scott and I squinted through the windsheild. "Is that Marie?"

We followed her to the school. Glancing at each other as she made her way into the building, I unlocked the car door and marched up the steps toward her, through the door, trailing after her through the hallways, in some messed up game of Follow The Leader.

She took me to the chemistry lab, the same one Scott had locked us in when the old Alpha attacked.

I frowned, watching her try to fight something off. I reached out to touch her arm and realized she was asleep. My eyebrows furrowed, like _how...?_ She was struggling, but- as far as I could see -nothing was in there but us. Something was definately hurting her, though.

A howl ripped through the air outside, a familiar howl, my Alpha's howl, searching for his cousin, the missing member of his pack that was supposed to be safe at home in her bed.

Her hands were shaking as she tried to push whatever it was away, hands protecting her chest like it was going after her heart. I watched closely, watching her as whatever it was gripped her wrists and began to shake her horribly.

I couldn't take it anymore. I reached for her, my fingers closing around her upper arm, and shook her. Her eyes blinked open- "Where am I?" -and she saw me- "Jackson?"

Looking at her wrists, I saw finger-shaped bruises, ugly discolorations that were fading, healing, as quickly as I saw them. "Marie, what the hell is going on?"

She shook her head, tugging out of my grasp, "Nothing. I guess I was sleep walking. Can you take me home?"

I did as she asked. When Derek met us in the clearing, he seemed more worried than furious, the opposite of what I expected. He hugged her tight against him and I could hear his heartbeat slowing. "What happened?" I heard him ask.

She whispered, "I hear the voices again." They were silent for a moment. "They're talking in my head."

I frowned, unsure what that meant, exactly. Derek sent me a glare and I drove off, Scott giving me a questioning look, like I was supposed to know what the hell had just happened.

* * *

><p>Scott POV<p>

Derek and Marie ventured into Allison's hospital room. Stiles didn't look up from his game of Angry Birds. The once-again redhead bounded over to her friend, full of smiles and giggles and sunshine, throwing her arms around my girlfriend, a loud "Oh, I missed you so much!" escaping her mouth.

Allison smiled politely, almost like she was angry with her friend. I furrowed my eyebrows. "Can I see her?" Marie questioned, giddy at the thought of seeing the little baby. My girlfriend gestured to the little baby basket thing the hospital provided.

Marie stood over it, lips parted, staring down at my daughter, Derek's peering over her shoulder. "She's so little," Derek muttered quietly, lips barely moving, seemingly in awe. I smiled at my Alpha:

"Wanna hold her?"

He looked to my in surprise, but nodded anyway, allowing me to place the bundle that was my baby in his arms. His lips twitched in the corners, a smile tugging at them, as he looked down at her. Raising an eyebrow at me, he smirked, "Sure she's yours, kid? She seems a bit too cute to be yours."

I nodded. He sat down so Marie could sit by him and stare at the baby girl. The redheaded wolf slipped her finger into my daughter's hand, letting the chubby, warm fingers wrap around her own. Stiles still hadn't looked up. Marie grinned up at me, at Allison, smiling, always smiling, "What's her name?"

Before I could say_ we haven't picked one yet, any suggestions, _Allison answered, "Kate."

Both of them froze, tensed. Derek's soft almost-smile twisted into a thin line. Marie's eyerbows drew together over her big blue eyes, grin slipping into an open-mouthed pout. I shook my head:

"We still haven't decided. Any suggestions?"

"How about Lydia?" I looked up to see the girl walk into the room, dropping her purse to the floor, quickly running to Marie's side to coo over the baby. "Oh, Allison," the blonde's lips pursed into a smile, "she's way too adorable."

Jackson and Danny, behind her, strolled in and smiled. "Give me the infant," Jackson's voice was loud, big, ordering something of someone far above him in ranking, and he must have realized it because he shook his head playfully under Derek's glare.

"What's wrong with 'Kate'?" Allison snapped at me, hitting my arm. I turned to her, ready to answer, when Derek cut me off.

"Besides that fact that she was a psychotic bitch, you mean?"

Allison whipped her head towards him, her glare as harsh and cold as his, "You don't anything about her-"

"Oh, I know a bit _too_ much about her-"

"You know what, asshole? Get the hell out of here."

"Allison!" I pleaded.

Derek stood, handing the baby, my daughter, to Jackson carefully, gently, and grabbed Marie's wrist, hauling her up and out the door, despite her protests.

"What the hell was that?" Danny questioned, looking around at us, no one willing to give an answer.

* * *

><p>Danny POV<p>

"So what the hell was that about at the hospital?"

I looked over to my friend, away from my lacrosse stick. We were playing in my backyard like we had when we were kids, back when everything was normal. "Huh?"

"The hospital. Allison and Marie's cousin. What was that?" I asked.

Jackson shook his head, "Nothing," and threw the ball to me.

I caught it, tossed it back hard, "Seemed like something to me."

"It was nothing," he assured me, throwing the ball back to me, "just some bad memories."

"Of what?" Harder than before, I took aim and the ball flew through the air.

"Derek Hale and Allison's Aunt Kate had some bad times, okay?"

He threw back to me. I caught it, but didn't toss it back. I stared at him, stick lowered, "Why don't you tell me anything anymore?"

He licked his lips, "Danny..."

"No, seriously. You're always too busy to hang out with me. And when we do, it's like you don't want to tell me anything."

"First, you have more friends than just me. You and Stilinski are pretty chummy. And, second, I _want_ to tell you things, Danny, but I can't."

"There's a fine line between can't and won't."

My best friend sighed, ran a hand through his blonde hair, "Danny, I swear if I could tell you, I would."

"We've been best friends since before kindergarten, Jackson. I still tell you everything. You were the first person I came out to, the first person I told everything to. When did you stop telling me things? What did I do wrong that made you not want to talk to me?"

He picked up his lacrosse stick, hefting his bag over his shoulder, "I should go."

I threw the ball, hard, towards his back. I was rewarded when it smacked between his shoulders and he turned back to me, glaring. "No, you're not leaving. You're going to tell me what the hell is going on."

"I can't, Danny."

"If you don't," I raked my mind for a threat, "I'll tell everyone about that time we kissed."

"We were drunk, Danny," My best friend growled, spat. "It didn't mean anything."

I looked to the ground, letting my whimper of "Maybe not to you" slip before I could stop it.

He stared at me, mouth open, realizing what I said and the implications of it. I shook my head, "Jackson, I'm sorry. Let's just forget this whole conversation-"

By the time I looked up again, he was gone.

* * *

><p>Marie POV<p>

One of the things was there again. I could see it, standing at the edge of the clearing, watching me with its souless eyes, its hand clawing at its own heart. "Go," I took a breath to steady my voice, "away."

It's voice, whispery and dark, growled, echoing in my mind. _I can't do that._

It started into the woods, retreating and, for once, I decided I needed to go after it. I needed to figure out what was going on. I licked my lips and stepped off the porch.

I followed it through the woods, around trees, over branches, as the sun set and everything became dark. I followed it all the way, until, suddenly, it disappeared.

I could hear things moving around me, but- even with my heightened senses -I couldn't see it. I whipped around, following the sound. I took a couple deep, quick breaths, muttering, "Something bad happened here." I could hear their whispers, their threats of _you're next _and _it's too late._

I struggled forward, tripping a little. "What's wrong with me?" There was no answer, but I hadn't really expected one. I could still hear it, them, moving around me, dragging leaves and cracking branches. I clenched my fists and opened my mouth to yell. "I'm not scared! Come find me! Try me again! I'm not scared! I'm not scared! I'm not scared! I'm not scared!"

A hand closed around my upper arm and I spun around, ready to scream again, scream myself hoarse, "Hurt me again-!" but I was met with Derek's green gaze and I stopped, the last of my call draining away to nothing in my throat.

He slid his hand down my arm and held my hand in his large, warm palm. I whimpered, whispered, "I'm not scared."

My cousin looked around as if the place brought back painful memories. "Do you know what happened here?"

"Stop it," I ordered, shaking my head, stepping away.

He shrugged and reached for me, tugging me through the woods, out into the clearing, into his car, down the road. "Come on."

* * *

><p>Derek POV<p>

"Tonight," the vet said softly, "there's a reason for what happened."

Marie was almost asleep against my shoulder, eyes closed and breathing even. Whatever ordeal she went through in the woods had proved too much to allow her to stay awake for long. I stared into the vet's eyes, so wise and knowing.

"Sometimes we survive by forgetting. And, if what you tell me about her past is true, that's how she survived for six years. Maybe the remembering took a toll on her. And all of the complications that have gone on during this last year, since she began remembering, maybe it's all too much..."

I blinked at him.

"She killed her father- maybe that's not such a bad thing to forget."

"I want to remember," Marie shook her head. I looked down at her. "I want to remember."

The vet nodded, "Okay, that's your choice. In that case, maybe it would be best to leave for a while, go somewhere else, somewhere where the pain isn't so fresh."

"No," Marie stood, suddenly. "I'm not going back there. You can't make me."

"That wasn't my suggestion..."

"I know what you're trying to do!" she exclaimed, leaning towards him to get he rpoint across. I grabbed her wrist, stopping her form going any closer. "You can't trick me into going back there! I'm not going back!"

"Leaving is not an option," I told him, tugging her back to sit beside me.

He exhaled slowly, "Noted. Now, what if we just-"

"No matter what you do, it won't change what really happened," she whispered.

All three of us sat in silence, knowing what she said was true.

**So, I know, I suck, no romance.  
>But romance will become slightly more prominent soon. Stiles and Marie are still not back together, but things can change. <strong>

**There aren't going to be too many chapters after this one- mabye, like, seven or less? Ugh, time flies so fast. You'll all hate me when the story's over, I know it, but some of you may still love me.**

**I hope you all enjoyed this chapter and thought the time skip was classy.**

**Reviews are love, hate, and everything in between! :)**


	13. Chapter 13

**ALL KINDS OF DINOSAURS!**

**Just kidding, 'tis only me, here with another chapter of A&R (Yeah, that's my shortened title of "Adderall & Redbull"). **

**So, a lot of people have been reading this story (Fanfiction tells me that with my insight) and WE'RE UP TO 100! 100! 100 REVIEWS! AHHHHH! Thank you thank you thank you all so so much. You're all so wonderful. I'm so excited I can't sit down *jumps up and down* CAN'T SIT DOWN!**

**Did anyone else notice I switch between using "we" and "I" in reference to myself? Are there multiple me's? I- we- I must think deeply about this.**

**ANYWAY!**

**Here's the new chapter. We only own Marie.**

Marie POV

I stepped into Jackson's house. The lights flicked on and all my friends were there.

"Happy birthday!"

My birthday? How had I not remembered it was my birthday?

I had spent the day in bed, sleeping, after a rough night dealing with the Things. I had woken up to my ringing phone- Jackson ordering me to come to his house -and a note from Derek saying he'd be back late that night.

Their lips stretched into tried smiles and I forced my own just for them. "Oh my God, guys!" I tried to giggle, stepping forward and letting them all hug me. Lydia put the cake on the counter and squeezed me tight.

It was a small party, unexpected. Stiles wasn't there- but what did I expect?

I opened my gifts. I smiled at the bracelet from Lydia and the book from Danny, grinned at the wolf-shaped keychain from Scott and Allison and Baby No-Name, beamed at the Disney movie from Jackson. At least, I tried to. It took so much energy to smile, so much force to ignore the whispers in my mind.

Everyone else's smiles seemed just as forced. One whisper escaped my hold and the horrible voice hissed, _They're not your family._

I took a deep breath, wishing Derek was there to try to make the Things' voices go away.

"Marie," Allison pulled me off to the side. "I wanted to talk to you in private."

"Okay, what's up?" I smiled, smiled, showed my teeth, my dimples, happy, happy, happy, nothing is wrong.

"I just wanted to tell you, I didn't want to be here," she spat in a low whisper. I wanted to step back. What? "You, me, we're not really friends, are we?"

I licked my lips, "Of course we're friends. Aren't we?"

She shook her head, "Us? No, I don't think we are."

"Why not?" my lower lip trembled.

"Because you take everything from me!" she whisper-shouted. "You want to know what happened last night? My daughter got upset. I don't know why or how, but she was upset. And do you know what happened, Marie? Hm? Her eyes flashed, changed color. Like a _wolf_. My baby is going to have your curse."

"Allison," I tried, "I'm sorry. I know you didn't want her to, but-"

"No," she cut me off. "This is your fault. If you and your damn cousin hadn't come here, Scott wouldn't have been bitten and my daughter would be normal. Still, thought, I love her. But, you, Marie? No one loves you."

She turned and walked away.

* * *

><p>Jackson POV<p>

"Everybody hates me," she whimpered, "Allison, Lydia, Stiles, even Derek."

Her make up was running down her cheeks, the smile she put on for everyone had melted away as soon as I led her up to my room, away from everything. "That's not true," I told her.

She shook her head, "No, it is. They all hate me."

"You know that's not true."

"What's wrong with me? How did I get here?" She wiped under her eyes, smearing her makeup even more. "Usually all I have to do stand still and look pretty and everyone likes me again. But now they all really hate me. And I love them all so much."

"Nothing is wrong with you," I took her hand in my own and noticed that her nails were still painted a happy pink, which didn't seem to fit the girl falling apart in front of me. "Why would you ever think we hated you?"

Her blue eyes met mine and I realized how haunted she looked, "You can't deny Allison hates me and Lydia, I don't know, she just doesn't want to be around me and Scott goes along with Allison and Danny won't talk to me. And, oh my God, Derek- he should be having the time of his life right now, but I'm ruining it for him. If he doesn't hate me now, he will soon. Don't even get me started on Stiles-" her voice broke when she said his name "-he has every right to hate me."

She started crying harder. I licked my lips, "And you're still in love with him."

"I lied and I broke things and I ruined _everything_, and for what?" she whimpered. I pulled her to me, pillowing her head on my shoulder. "To keep him safe? He's not in any less danger than he was before. No one is. It's been months. I know he's over me- why wouldn't he be? But, me, I...I love him so much."

I stared at her, "Why _would_ he be over you, Marie? What? Do you think you're nothing special? You're a special girl, a beautiful girl, and you don't deserve to be forgotten or hated. I can _assure_ you that he's still in love with you, too." I sighed. "You want my opinion? In the morning, or tomorrow, or whenever you're ready, you should go and tell Stiles exactly how you feel."

She buried her face in my chest; I let her cry into my shirt. After a good amount of time, she lefted her head and looked at me, "Can I stay with you?" In repsonse, I gave her a shirt of mine to change into. Turing her back to me, she changed into the clothes I had given her and, suprisingly, I had no temptation to watch her strip.

I pulled back the covers and she crawled in beside me, wiping her dark makeup on the cuffs of my shirt, but, whatever, I didn't like that shirt anyway. Her back to me, she settled under the covers and I pulled her against my chest. "You know," I whispered, "If I was an ass, I'd take advantage of you right now."

She shook her head sleepily, "Don't you know how great you are?"

"Marie?" I asked after a few moments of silence. "What's your big secret?"

"If I told you, I'd have to kill you." She was quiet for a second and then, "No, no, I won't. Jackson's good," almost as if someone had whispered_ do it_ in responce to her _I'd have to kill you._

* * *

><p>Jackson POV (Still)<p>

I rubbed my eyes, yawning, as I woke up.

"Good, you're up."

I looked up, furrowing my eyebrows, confused, and spotted Marie. Her makeup was smeared, her hair was messy, and she managed to give me a small smile. "Hi," I muttered, sitting up.

"Hi," she ran a hand through her tangled cherry hair. "Thanks for listening to me last night."

"No problem," I grave her a sleepy grin, taking her hand in mine

The door opened, revealing Danny. "Good morning, star shine. The Earth says hello."

"Hey," I nodded, slipping my hand from hers. "Uh, Marie just crashed for the night. She's one her way-"

He chuckled, cutting me off as he sat at the end of my bed, "Oh, shut up, Jackson. I know nothing happened- that much is clear from the sound of you snoring at three AM and," he flashed Marie a smirk, "the newest _Harry Potter_ showing up in the Recently Watched On Demand list."

She smiled, looking down.

"Maybe you should go get dressed," I suggested. She stood, gathering her things and trudging into the bathroom. Danny gave me a look, like _be careful, Jackson. _I shrugged and ran a hand through my hair, falling back against my pillows.

He scooted up so he could sit beside me. "You're my best friend," he whispered, eyes down as he played iwth his fingers, "I can't have you being mad at me."

I shook my head, "I'm not mad."

"Can we just forget that whole talk? I'll forget that you're not telling me things and you'll forget that I told you too much."

I looked at him, "Danny," I licked my lips, "we don't have to forget the conversation. I'll start telling you things, what I can, I swear, but I don't want you to get the wrong impression-"

He laughed, "Don't worry. I get it. You and I are friends. You love Lydia."

Marie stepped out of the bathroom, hair pulled away from her face on the top of her head, and smiled at us. "I guess I'll go now," she picked up her purse, leaning over and planting a kiss on my cheek. "Thanks for last night, Jackson. I know what I'm going to do now."

We watched her leave.

* * *

><p>Stiles POV<p>

The night after the party I wasn't invited to, there was a knock on my door. I sighed hevaily, shoulders slumping. Seriously, what was so important that someone would interrupt me during my _Home Improvemnt starring Tim Allen_ re-run marathon?

I opened the door.

Marie was standing there, staring at me, pink lips parted. I met her blue eyes, watching her as she watched me. We stood there for awhile, just looking at each other. I started to close the door.

"No! Stiles!" she put her hand in to prevent me from shutting it on her.

What was stopping me from slamming the door, with or without her hand in the way? She was a wolf, she would heal quickly if I broke her hand. Unlike I had when she broke my heart. I hated her, I hated her, so why couldn't I slam the door in her face?

Maybe it was those blue, blue eyes that were watering slightly and staring at me with need.

I opened the door again. "What?"

She licked her lips, voice wavering like she was about to cry, "Can we talk? Please? I made a mistake and I need you."

That caught my attention and I stepped aside to let her in, leading her up to my room, a familiar area for both of us. She looked at my bed with uncertainty, like she didn't know if she was allowed to sit down. I gestured for her to plop down beside me.

"What mistake did you make?"

She looked down at her lap, "Well, last night, with Jackson-"

"Oh, God," I cut her off, shaking my head. "Oh, my God."

"What?" she looked up.

"I don't want to hear about you and Jackson, okay? I don't need to hear about how he made you feel special all night and then, when he wasn't there in the morning, you realized it was a mistake. Are you trying to hurt me?"

Her lips dropped apart, "What? You think Jackson and I-?"

I met her eyes, "You didn't?"

A small smile crossed her lips and she shook her head, "No, I didn't. But, last night, Jackson and I talked and he made me realize how much of a mistake it was...to let you go. It hasn't made anything easier and, and I miss you, okay?"

I looked away.

"Stiles," she touched my hand, "I thought everything would be okay if I let you go. I thought I would let you down if we stayed together. I'm not normal- I'm damaged at best. I'll never be like everyone else. There will always be something wrong with me, something messing with my head." She paused and I turned, met her eyes again. "But... I love you. I love you and I don't want to let you go."

I sighed, "I should probably say something about how it's too late for you to want me back, right? I should tell you to go screw yourself, that I've moved on, that I'm done with you and I feel nothing for you." I slipped my fingers into her hair. "You know, I've never been a good liar."

I pulled her to me, tried to press my lips to hers.

She shook her head, "Kiss the hand."

Taking her small hand in mine, I pressed my lips against it, watching her eyes.

"Then, you kiss the girl."

So I did.

**So, that's it, really, for this chapter.**

**I worked really hard trying to make this one good for you all because the mood of the story had been kind of depressing, so I'm trying to bring some light back before things get really dark and sinister. **

**I have no internet and am updating on my Dad's work computer, which I'm not supposed to be on, so...yeah...**

**ANYWAY! I hope you all liked it:)**

**Reviews are love hate and everything in between.**


	14. Chapter 14

**MY DEAR READERS!**

**So, I absolutely love all of you. I really do. You're all so great. Your reviews were fantasic. Seriously, they're what makes me want to keep this going, even though I know the end is really near. I don't want it to end- mostly because you're all so awesome. :)**

**I know you all probably hate me for being a week late, but my excuse is that I had no internet. seriously, like, no cable, no internet, nothing. I just didn't know what to do with myself.**

**You know the rap: Marie's ours, no one else is.**

Stiles POV

_I was maybe about four or five years old, I remember. Scott and I had been rough-and-tumble kids that day, rolling through the muddy woods. And, upon our arrival home, my mom shook her head and forced us into the bath. She scrubbed the dirt off us as we threw bubbles at each other._

_Scott's skin was tanner than mine and it took my mom longer to scruub the stains off of me. I winced when she pressed a bruise, crying out when scott shoved his finger into it as hard as he could. That made him laugh so hard he started to have rouble breathing. He took a wheeze from his inhaler, which was with him even in the tub, and I laughed at me, with him, splashing bubbles in his eyes by accident._

_He started to cry, because it stung- "No cry formula," God, Johnson&Jonhson were such liars -and my mom sighed, taking us both out of the bath. She wrapped me in a towel and cradled Scott to her chest. I ran off, towel like a cloak or cape, and reached into my 'secret' candy jar. I brought my last, most favorite peice back to Scott._

_His tears stopped and he enjoyed that candy to the fullest. I sat there and watched him enjoy it, happy that he was okay again. _

_Scott's crap- whining or crying or heartbreak or lycanthropy -has always inflitrated and been a big part of my life. He has always been there. I dont' know who I would be without Scott, without having him there to help along and support. I never knew who I was outside of being Scott's emotional crutch. Without Scott, I wouldn't be the person I've become._

_I don't know, if Scott wasn't in the picture, if I would like who I would become._

The banging on my front door was a bit too annoying. I stumbled down the stairs, blind, trying to get my head through my shirt, banging into walls like some drunken idiot.

"Stiles! Come on, dude!"

I managed to pull my head through and opened the door, tugging the shirt down over my stomach. "What? Come on, man, what is so important that you're willing to break down my door?" I ran a hand over my wet hair. "What?"

Scott frowned, "Allison and I are fighting- can I crash here for the night?"

I stepped out of the doorway, welcoming him in, "Sure. You know, usually this kind of thing happens on sitcoms; Ross stays at Chandler's because he and Rachel are fighting. This doesn't happen to people our age." He collasped on my couch. I sat beside him, patting his leg. "Okay, dude, what's wrong?"

"Allison's pissed. She's been going off on me ever since our baby went all wolf-eyes on us. She keeps saying something about Marie and Derek and how it's their fault and blah blah blah. When I told her that she was talking crazy, she told me I could go screw myself if I wanted to take their side." He threw a hand across his forehead. "I have no idea what to do about this."

I nodded, chewing my lip.

"Stiles," he whispered, "she pulled her gun on me."

My eyes widened. "Was it loaded?"

"Yeah," he swallowed. "With Wolfsbane bullets- I could feel them; it made me feel sick."

"Oh, God, Scott," I ran a hand over my hair. "Do you really think she would shoot you?"

"She sounded pretty serious about it," he ran a hand over his face. "I think if she'd gotten any angrier, she would've shot me where I stood."

* * *

><p>Vet POV<p>

I flipped through all of my notes about the little Hale's sickness, the sound of dogs and cats whining and barking in the background. I scratched my scalp, wondering what everything could mean.

The beings, there were three of them. One had no legs, no bottom half of their body. One had its decayed hand around its own throat, as if trying to choke itself. The last grasped its heart like it was having a heart attack.

No one else could see them, only the little Hale. They caused her pain, did her harm, though no one else could see how.

I frowned and spun my chair to stare at my bookshelf, reaching for a book on the bottom shelf, the shelf where I kept all the books one would usually not see in an animal clinic. I flipped through the book, one about werwolves and their abilities.

_Healing._

My eyes quickly found the page and I practically inhaled the words.

I dropped the book and picked up the phone. "Mr. Hale," I said when the Alpha answered, "I think I've figured it out."

* * *

><p>Derek POV<p>

I stepped through the door to find Marie waiting for me on the steps, red hair falling in her face. Looking up at me, she grinned, standing, and threw her arms around my neck. I picked her up, spinning her around. "Hey, how was your birthday? I'm sorry I missed it- we can celebrate later, together."

I set her down. She rolled her eyes, "I totally forgot about it." She pouted. "I missed you."

I sat down on the couch. She plopped down beside me, lips strectched into a wide smile. "I'm sorry."

"We're back together- that's all that matters."

We sat in silence for a moment. She twirled a strand of cherry hair around her finger.

I smiled. "You seem happier," I tucked a strand of hair behind her ear, "Nothing else matters."

She leaned into my touch. "I want you to be happy, too, Derek."

I sighed, looking away. She scooted closer to me and I answered: "If you're happy, I'm happy."

She gave me a reproachful look, like she didn't believe that every aspect of my life was tied to hers in some way. I ran a hand through her hair, stared at her- at her big, trusting blue eyes, her parted, pouting lips -and the wolf inside wanted to let her know how I- it- we felt, wanted to let her know that she really was all that mattered. I shook my head, fighting against it.

Unfortunately, the wolf is so much stronger than the man.

I leaned down and pressed my lips to her's.

Her lips were soft under mine, perfectly cushioned, and my eyes fluttered closed, which sounds like a really girly thing to say, but that's the only way I could ever describe it. We sat there, still, for a moment, until I tentitavely touched her cheek.

Thin arms wrapped around my neck, pulling me closer, and I cupped her face in my roughened palms. It was a nervous, hesitiant kind of thing, nothing passionate, but my heart rate picked up a little bit. Her hands slipped to rest against my chest and- and-

And, my phone rang.

I opened my eyes, blinking away sleep, and took in my surroundings. I was in bed, Marie curled against my side, sleeping peacefully after a rough night of fighting her demons. I struggled up onto my elbows, reaching for my phone.

Who could be calling me so late at night?

"Hello?" I growled out.

"Mr. Hale." It was the vet. I sat up, trying not to disturb the sleep that rarely graced my cousin's nights. "I think I've figured it out."

"You think you-"

"Figured it out, yes. I think I know what is wrong with your cousin. If you could find your way to my office in the morning, it would be greatly appreciated." The line went dead.

The flopped back against the pillows, staring at the ceiling for the longest time. I turned my head and looked at Marie's sleepng face, reaching over with roughened fingers and brushing the cherry strands away from her face. I sighed deeply and rolled onto my side, content to continue my night's sleep.

* * *

><p>Marie POV<p>

"Werewolves can heal themselves unconsiously; their healing powers can terminate any wound, fatal or otherwise," the vet read from a large, dusty book that smelled of leather. "They can also stop themsleves from healing. In additon to this, they can also- subconsiously or otherwise -harm themselves, if they believe strong enough in the harm being done to them."

"So?" Derek pressed.

"I believe that perhaps Miss Hale is subconsiously harming herself because these dreams and apparations feel so real to her. Her mind convinces her that these things really happened and, therefore, she then forces harm unto herself."

"You're saying she's doing this to herself?" Derek growled.

"Unintentionally, of course," the vet was quick to add.

I stood.

"Where are you going?" my cousin questioned as I gathered my purse.

"I'm leaving," I told him, glancing at him over my shoulder, "and so should you."

He nodded to the vet, following me out. In the car, he took my hand in his roughened palm. "Don't worry," he gave me a small smile and we drove away, down the bumpy road.

* * *

><p>Scott POV<p>

"Scott," Stiles shook me awake.

I sat up, taking my surroundings. I was on his couch. The sun was out again. Last night I had slept here for the second time in a week to stay away from Allison. I looked up at my best friend, who was cradling my daughter in his arms like the perfect parent he would be one day. "Yeah?"

"My dad had to leave early this morning," he told me. "Something happened."

I slipped forward, feet on the ground, facing him. "yeah?"

"Your boss- the vet?" He licked his lips. "They found him dead this morning."

My eyes widened, "Dead? Like-?"

"Murdered, my dad said."

"How?"

"His throat was slashed, like the movie store clerk when Peter was the Alpha. But Dad said there was also a bullet hole above his heart."

"The Hunters?"

"Could've been the Hunters," my best friend mused, bouncing my baby girl in his arms, "could've been a wolf. We don't know. But I think we should ask Derek if he knows anything." He tossed me my phone. "The pack will be here soon."

I swallowed, closing my eyes.

* * *

><p>Lydia POV<p>

A howl ripped through the air, disturbing the sweet silence in my room.

Jackson sat up quickly, covers falling down his chest, fluttering to rest around his waist. His eyes flashed that inhuman gold I'd seen once or twice and he threw the covers off his body, climbing out of bed, fast, gathering his pants and shoes and shirt, tugging his clothes on as if the house was on fire.

"Where's the fire?" I ran a hand through my hair.

"I've got to go," he pressed a kiss to my lips.

I raised an eyebrow, "Why?"

"It's an emergency."

I rolled onto my back, "What kind of emergency?"

"The kind I can't tell you about."

"You can't tell me anything."

He huffed through his nose, pretty blue eyes flashing gold again and I stopped, stared for a moment, lips parted. I shook my head, staring into his golden gaze, and licked my lips:

"What are you, Jackson?"

"Excuse me?" he blinked. His eyes went back to normal.

"The claws, the teeth, the _eyes_," I whispered. "What are you?"

"Lydia," he sighed, sitting on the edge of my bed, running his hands down his face, "I can't tell you."

I rolled my eyes, pursing my lips. "_I can't tell you_," I mocked his voice. "So, what- I just sit here and wait for you to come back from whatever mysterious emergency you mist take care of and then never ask questions?" I shook my head. "No, Jackson. Relationships are about trust and mutual understanding. This relationship-" I gestured between us "-has neither. I told you it would take more than pretty words to get me to trust you again. Are you trying to make it more difficult?"

"There are things you don't know, Lydia. And I can never tell you."

"Don't you trust me?"

"Here," he scribbled on a slip of paper, "search this. And, then, call Allison. She can tell you what I can't."

He was out the door before I could even make sense of the word on the paper.

_Lycaon._

* * *

><p>Allison POV<p>

My phone rang. I sighed, rolled my eyes, and flipped it open, fully expecting it to be Scott, who would whimper and cry and apologize.

"Werewolves."

I paused. "Excuse me?"

"Werewolves."

"Lydia, what the hell-?"

"There are werewolves, aren't there?"

"Lydia, are you high? There is no such thing as werewolves-"

"I am so _sick_ and tired of _all_ you people who won't tell me the truth," she growled. "Werewolf- that's what Jackson is, right? He told me to search Lycaon and then call you. It's all about werewolves, isn't it? Everything weird in town. There are werewolves."

"Lydia-"

"And you knew. You knew and no one ever told me."

"I wasn't the only one who knew, Lydia," I snarled, defending myself. "Jackson, Scott, the Hales, Stiles-"

"I don't give a shit about them and that they knew, Allison. _You're_ supposed to be my best friend. You're the one who should tell me that you're all werewolves. Was I the only one out of the loop? Am I the only normal one?"

"I am _not _one of those dumb animals." I interrputed. "I'm a Hunter. That's my family. We hunt werewolves and get rid of them. We put them down like the beasts they are."

She scoffed. "Oh, there are Hunters now, too? Great." She paused her tirade and got quiet. "So...there really are...werewolves?"

"Lycan, shapeshifter, _loup-garou, _werewolf, whatever you want to call them," I shrugged. "Yeah, they're real. You saw one, you know. The movie store, where the 'mountain lion' attacked? That was a werewolf. We put it down, though. To me and my family, they're just more dumb animals who _need_ to be put down." I smirked to myself. "_Nous chassons ceux qui nous chasse._"

"And you've known since...?"

"Over a year now. Since Marie came here. Winter Formal that year." I examined my nails.

"And you never told me?"

I sighed, "I should have told you. But, Lydia, believe me, I wanted to tell you-"

"But you didn't, did you?" she spat, venom in her voice. "No, instead you tried to play me for a fool, you backstabbing, two-faced _bitch!_"

I sat in silence for a minute and then placed the phone down.

She had already hung up.

**Well, how was it?**

**Not bad for being late? Horrible for being late? Horrible in any case? Not bad, either way? Do you love me? Hate me? Like me? Respect me? DO YOU THINK I'M A DINOSAUR?**

**Okay, i have no idea where that last part came from. I'm tired. I need some caffiene. And I'm nervous about how this one will be recieved. Will you all like it? Will you hate it? Will anything in here make you hate me, hate the story?**

**(Edit: 10/28) Okay, so, in case no one noticed, I changed some of this. Yup, I changed Derek's POV into a dream, which I thought would be better. Two things about Derek being in love with Marie: (1) She's in love with Stiles. That will not change. And she doesn't know how Derek feels. (2) Marie is all Derek has. She's the only person he cares about, the only person near him. He's- what? Twenty-three? He's alone and she's all he has. His platonic feelings for her change to romantic because she's the only good thing in his life.**

**Oh, well, that's everything, I suppose.**

**Anway, I hope you all liked it, at least a little :)**

**Reviews will always be love, hate, and everything in between**


	15. Chapter 15

**YOU FABULOUS, WONDERFUL READERS!**

**You were all so totally wonderful in your reviews, even when telling me where I screwed up. You are seriously the nicest people I've ever had the pleasure to write for. You all inspire me and make me want to keep writing and writing and writing. Thank you all :)**

**Oh, and, in case you didn't notice, I edited the last chapter. I hope you all like it a bit more. Read the little note at the bottom titled "(EDIT: 10/28)". ;)**

**We only own Marie.**

**Here we go.**

Derek POV

"Derek?"

I looked up from the book I was reading and met Marie's eyes. "Yes?"

"What do you think did it?"

I couldn't find it in myself to answer- and not only because I truly didn't know what had killed the vet. I looked into her watering blue eyes and realized that she had liked the vet, had respected and admired the vet, despite the times she had yelled at him and walked out on him and his ideas.

"I don't know, Marie."

She nodded, looked down at her hands. I went back to my book.

"Derek?"

I closed the book, "Yes, Marie?"

"Can you sing for me? It's been so long since I've heard you sing."

I smiled softly, going and crouching in front of her. I took her hands in mine:

_"What I love most about rivers is_

_you can't step in the same river twice."_

She started smiling.

_"The water's always changing,_

_always flowing._

_But, people, I guess,_

_can't live like that._

_We all must pay a price._

_To be safe, we lose_

_the chance of ever knowing..."_

She laughed. I smiled, "Feel better?" She nodded and I made my way back to my chair, opening my book

"Derek? About the vet- it wasn't an accident."

I turned and stared at her, my book falling to the floor. "What?"

"I know how that sounds, but, really, I just feel like it wasn't an accident. Someone wanted him dead."

"Don't say things like that."

"But, it's tr-"

"Marie!" I stood, starling her andmyself with my rage. My eyes were flashing red and I could feel my canines sharpening. "Don't say things like that," I ordered. "Say things like that and people will think it was you who killed him."

She whimpered softly, "But I didn't."

I turned my back to her, picking up my book and reading, breathing deeply. "We have to meet with the pack in an hour."

"Derek?"

I didn't respond.

* * *

><p>Stiles POV<p>

"Come on, kid, stop crying," I begged. Scott was in the doorway, greeting his pack, while I held his crying child. "Seriously, little one, just stop crying and take a nap already." I turned away from the door, facing the stairs.

"Can I try?" A voice came from behind me. I turned.

Marie was there, smile on her pretty lips, arms extended in hopes of taking the baby. I handed Scott's daughter to the redhead and she immediately cooed down to the child, rocking softly from side to side, cradling the baby sweetly. She started to sing and the bundle stopped crying.

_"La la lu, la la lu,_

_oh, my little star sweeper,_

_I'll sweep the stardust for you._

_La la lu, la la lu,_

_little soft fluffy sleeper,_

_here comes a pink cloud for you._

_La la lu, la la lu,_

_little wandering angel,_

_fold up your wings for tonight._

_La la lu, la la lu,_

_and may love be your keeper._

_La la lu, la la lu, la la lu."_

When I peered into the blankets, the little baby was alseep. I looked at Marie, amazed. "How-?"

"Our parents used to sing us that lullaby to get us to sleep," Derek explained as he came up behind his cousin, smiling at the bundle of blankets that was Scott's daughter. Resting his hand softly, gently, against the baby's covered head, he cooed, "Hey there, little pup."

"So," Jackson interrupted the adorable moment, "what are we going to do about the vet?"

I sighed. Marie went upstairs to lay the baby down like she knew exactly where we'd made a makeshift cradle for Scott's daughter. We all collapsed on the couch. "First, we'd have to figure out what killed him," Derek mused.

"I am _not_ going into the morgue ever again," Scott shivered.

"I don't think there's anything we can do," Marie said as she joined us, sitting beside me. I wrapped my arm around her shoulders. "If any of us get involved, we'll look suspisious. And we can't risk anyone finding out about-"

"Werewolves!" The door burst open and Lydia was standing in the doorway. We stared; she marched in. "That's what you all are, right? Werewolves."

"Okay, we're screwed," Scott groaned, covering his eyes.

"Lydia," Jackson stood. "You should go home-"

"Why? Because this is some kind of _werewolf_ meeting?" she whipped her head around, fire fierce in her eyes and voice, and I remembered why I used to have a crush on her.

_I was fourteen. "Hi, Lydia," I grinned as she made her way down the hallway, pretty curls bouncing with every step, ignoring me. Had she even heard my voice? "Yeah," I sighed, turning back to Scott, "she doesn't even know I exist. That was totally worth three hours in front of the bathroom mirror." I licked my lips, ran my hand over my hair. "Seriously, there's only, like, maybe a hundred people in our grade? You've really got to go out of your way to not know someome exists."_

_"Sucks," Scott shrugged._

_I glared, "You couldn't be more encouraging?"_

_"Sure," he huffed. "Omaigawd, Stiles!" he squealed in a girly voice. "Lydia is totally just playing hard to get!"_

_I rolled my eyes, shoving his shoulder. "Asshole. Sarcasm's my thing."_

_"I don't even know what you see in her."_

_I stared after her, watching her walk away, away from me. "There's just...something..."_

"There's something going on here!" Lydia looked like she was about to stomp her foot.

"Lydia, really, you should go," Jackson insisted.

"No," she stood her ground. "I'm sick and tired of not being told the truth."

Marie made her way to her friend, touching Lydia's arm to draw her attention away from Jackson, whose eyes were flashing between sky blue and beta gold. "Lydia, you're right. We should tell you the truth." She looked to Derek for permission and he nodded. "So, werewolves."

"You're all werewolves."

"Not Stiles," Marie corrected, "but he is part of the pack." She paused to smile at me. "And now you know."

"And everything that's happened? All those killings last year? They were-?"

"Werewolves," Derek nodded. "The Alpha. Well, who used to be the Alpha. My uncle, Peter. Now I'm the Alpha."

She nodded. "This isn't some elaborate joke?"

Jackson stepped forward, "No. Lydia, I'm sorry I didn't tell you-"

He was cut off with a wave of her manicured hand. "It's nothing. Now, I'm in the loop and don't feel so crazy anymore. Though I'm still kind of hoping this is all a dream."

* * *

><p>Derek POV<p>

A shrill scream startled me from my almost-sleep. I climbed to my feet, throwing my blankets off my body, and made my way to Marie's room.

She had her hands on either side of her head, gasping for breath, looking as if she would tear her hair out. "No, no, no, no," she chanted, rocking back and forth. She screamed again, louder this time, still shrill, and slapped her hand against her chest, over her heart, like some kind of elementary school Pledge of Alligence. "No, don't you remember?" she cried, screamed, begged. "I'm your baby girl!"

Her hand was pried from her chest by invisible fingers and she yelled in pain. "No, no, no," she begged, chanted, tears streaming down her flushed cheeks and, finally, I grabbed her and woke her up.

She stared at me with wide eyes, taking deep breaths to calm herself. "I wonder if the vet was right and I'm the monster," she whispered.

"_What makes a monster and what makes a man_?" I sang softly, hoping it would change her mood.

She shook her head, tears spilling from her eyes like water from a sink. She rolled away, onto her side, and I touched her back, rubbing soothing circles.

"Things might be bad sometimes," I told her. "But, eventually, everything works out."

* * *

><p>Lydia POV<p>

"Is Marie here?" I asked her cousin, who had obviously been in the middle of a workout, if his bare, sweaty chest was any proof.

"Yeah. Up in her room. I'll take you there." He led me up the stairs.

I stopped on the second floor, staring down the hallway. All the doors were closed and everything felt cold. I took a step towards one of the doors. "What's in there?"

"Don't go in there!" he yelled, grabbing my shoulder and hauling me away, green eyes flashing blue. "You're not allowed in there! No one is allowed in there!" He let me go and took a minute to compose himself, sighing. "That's my parents' room."

"Oh. Sorry."

He shrugged and led me away, up another flight of stairs. I could hear Marie's voice coming through the pink door and smiled at him, letting her cousin know I could handle the rest of the myself. He nodded, venturing back down the stairs. I opened the door.

"Marie?"

She was standing in front of her mirror, shirt drawn up to expose her stomach. Her fingers kittered over her hips, brushing delicately like a person does when they have bandages wrapped around them. Her eyes flashed green and she sang a soft song:

_"You are deformed._

_And you are ugly._

_And these are crimes for which the world shows little pity."_

She touched the mirror.

_"I am your only friend."_

"Marie?" I questioned.

She turned, eyes glowing green, and blinked. She smiled, a smile that reached her blue eyes, and gave me a hug. "Lydia! What are you doing here?"

"I thought maybe we could go shopping?" I looked at the mirror, still confused and wondering what the hell had just happened. "Are you alright?"

"Of course I am!" she giggled, light and happy. "Why wouldn't I be?"

"Because you..." I trailed off, realizing she had no recolection of singing to herself in the mirror. "Nevermind. Let's hit the road."

* * *

><p>Scott POV<p>

My phone went off, full volume, waking up the baby. She started to wail. I checked the Called I.D. and gave Stiles a look, like _can you get her while I take this?_ He marched up the stairs. What a trooper. I pressed the phone to my ear.

"What is it, Allison?"

She sniffled, "Scott? Can you come home? I'm sorry and I miss you."

"What's she saying?" Stiles asked as he came down the stairs cradling my daughter.

"She wants me to come home."

He sighed, "What's she doing?"

I licked my lips, looking down at my knees, "She's crying."

"Please, Scott? I'm lonely and I was wrong and everything is so screwed up and...and I need you right now."

I looked at Stiles. He shook his head. "Yeah, Allison, I'll be there soon."

Stiles scoffed and looked down at my daughter, "Come on, little one. I'm going to make you a bottle and you can listen to me rant about how stupid your Daddy is."

"Stupid?" I stood and followed him. "What do you mean by that?"

"I mean, you're being a real dumbass by going back to her," my best friend growled, laying my daughter down in the makeshift cradle we had set up in the kitchen.

"I love her!"

He spun on me, "She almost shot you!"

"Allison would never do that to me."

"You said so yourself!" he raved. "You said she would've shot you."

My jaw tensed. "I was angry, then, Stiles. You don't know anything about the situation!"

"I don't know? I don't know? Everything you've gone through, I've gone through. We've gone through everything together!" His hands were shaking. "We practically raised each other! We're brothers!"

I got quiet, lost in thought, until I finally said, "Do you really think I'm being a dumbass?"

"Oh, yeah," he chuckled. "Most definately. You're probably the biggest dumbass I know. But there's nothing you could do that would make you stop being my brother." He punch my shoulder.

I smiled. "I guess I should get my stuff together, then. Get back to Allison."

"Yeah. Your baby mama misses you," he turned his back to me and continued making my daughter's bottle. I watched and shook my head, laughing softly. He gave me a look. "What?"

I gestured to what he was doing, "You're much better that this 'Dad' thing than I am."

"Of course I am," he grinned. "I'm better than you at everything."

* * *

><p>Marie POV<p>

"What's wrong with me?" I sighed, covering my face with my hands.

Derek tucked a strand of hair behind my ear, "Nothing is wrong with you."

"It was there, Derek," I insisted. "It was right there, in the changing room. It was there."

"I believe you."

I looked up and met his eyes. He offered a weak smile, reaching out to touch a finger to the hollow of my throat, where a bruise had been about an hour ago, where I had pressed my hand to protect myself from the decayyed demon coming after me with its hand around its own throat.

"I'm never leaving here again."

He scoffed, "You're going to stay cooped up here forever?"

"People looked at me like I should be back _there, _Derek. If I stay here, no one in Beacon Hills will know anything," I nodded, assuring myself that this was the right thing to do.

"A home is no place to hide," my cousin responded.

"I'm not hiding," I insisted. "I'm just..."

"Hiding," he offered.

I gave him a look. "Derek, I need to stay here."

"Fine," he stood, stretched his arms above his head. "One question, though. If you're stuck here, not hiding, how do you expect to date Stiles?"

I stopped. I hadn't thought of that. "He can come here."

"And if he wants to take you out somewhere- to dinner, to a movie?"

"We can eat dinner here and watch a movie here."

"I wonder," he sighed, "if Stiles will like hiding in the shadows?"

* * *

><p>Stiles POV<p>

Derek's black car was nowhere to be seen when I pulled into the clearing. And I thought, okay, cool, Marie and I have some time to ourselves.

It was dark out, moon dancing across the clearing, bathing everything in a silvery glow. I made my way up the creaking porch steps and opened the door, assuming I was allowed in without permission. "Marie?" I called out, receiveing no answer in return.

The floorboards were old and noisy. The house was a lot creepier at night- why hadn't I noticed that before? "Marie?" I called out again, in hopes of finding her. Why weren't there any lights on, goddamnit?

I made my way up the stairs, ruling out the kitchen and living rooms on the ground floor. Once on the landing, I stopped and looked up and down the hallway. A door was open. I made my way towards it, floorboards groaning with every step I took. Man, I thought Derek had fixed this place up.

Stepping into the room, I saw that everything was covered in a fine layer of ash. There was a large bed against the far wall, perfectly set and made like someone had taken a lot fo time to prepare it that way. There were pictures on the dresser. I wiped some of the ash off and saw three children smiling up at me. In another, I saw Marie and Peter. It suddeny registered- this was Peter Hale's room. The room was cold; I figured no one had been there for a while, maybe six years. But the door had been open so someone had to have been in there. "Marie?" I swallowed.

The door that led to what I guessed was a bathroom was opened, too. I made my way closer. "Marie?" The house itself creaked and groaned in responce and I told myself it was just the wind, quickly scolding myself after.

Horror Movie Rule #6: When you say "it's just the wind," it is never just the wind.

The bathroom was cleaner than the bedroom; there was less ash, that's for sure. But the ash in there was smeared, pulled my fingers. I looked floor where ash-covered broken glass was scattered, probably from the fire over six years ago, when the intense heat had caused it to burst. In the ash was written _You're next._

I backed out of the bathroom. Okay, it was getting a bit too Horror Movie for me.

I never stopped to pause in the bedroom. I backed right out of there, into the hallway. I wondered if my heart was beating as loud as I thought it was, if my breathing was really that heavy. "M-Marie?" I stuttered, wondering what the hell was going on. "Marie?"

I didn't want to turn my back on the bedrom, but I couldn't leave my back exposed to the hallway, either. I spun away from Peter Hale's bedroom and took a step closer to one of the closed doors. There was a creak behind it and I stopped, stopped breathing, stopped moving. _Oh, my God, I'm gonna die._

But I couldn't turn around and venture behind the closed door. Horror Movie Rule #1: Never look back. Something might be gaining on you. "Who's there?"

The door opened behind me and I spun around, eyes wide.

It was Marie, breathing heavy. Her eyes were wider than mine, frightened, terrified. "Oh, God, it's you," she panted. "Stiles, they're trying to get me."

"What's trying to get you?"

She didn't answer, pulling me into the room. Looking around briefly, I registered that it was probably Derek's parents' room. She pressed her back against the door. "They've been after me since Derek left. They're trying to kill me."

"Marie, you're not making any sense," I licked my lips.

"Did you see them?" she questioned.

"I didn't see anything, Marie. What are you talking about?"

Her head snapped up like she had heard something, eyes darting around like a trapped animal. "Oh, God," she whimpered. "Oh, God, they're coming!" She covered her ears with her hands. "No, no, no, no."

"Marie?" I asked uneasily.

The door opened just enough for a hand to fit through and she screamed, shrill, choking on her air, like someone had a hand around her throat.

But there was nothing there.

I stumbled up to her, throwing the doors open. Once again, there was nothing there. "No, no, no," she was chanting, backing away into what I assumed was the room Derek's parent's had once slept in. "Go, Stiles, get out!"

I didn't want to leave her, but something in her eyes told me it would be best if I ran.

So I did.

I tripped over myself in my haste to get away, running down the stairs, jumping off the porch. I unlocked my jeep, glancing behind me as I heard her scream again.

Derek pulled into the clearing in his impressive car. "What the hell is going on?"

"Marie- she- something-"

"Calm down, Stiles," he took my shoulders in his hands. "What happened?"

"I went in and I couldn't find her and she wasn't answering when I called for her. So, you know, I looked. And I ran into her and she said something was after her, that it was trying to kill her, but I couldn't see anything-"

"Go home," the Alpha ordered. "Go home, I'll take care of it."

"Derek, what's going on?"

"I said go home!" he snarled. I scrambled into my jeep and watched him run up to the house, in through the door. I knew that I shouldn't just sit there; I should go home and try to forget my night in a horror movie. The screaming stopped and I assumed Derek had taken care of it.

I drove off, out of the clearing, away from the Hale House and Marie.

**Happy Halloween;)**

**I hope this freaked you all out just a little bit.**

**I hope you all thought this was pretty good. I hope you got some of the hints, even if they were very subtle. This story might just be ending very, very soon. Like, two more chapters, maybe. *cries, holds onto story for dear life* I don't want to part with it!**

**This is the longest chapter yet. Over 4,000 words, according to FanFiction! :D How cool is that?**

**Uhm, Derek sings "Just Around The River Bend" from Pocohantas, and a line from "The Bells of Notre Dame" from The Hunchback of Notre Dame. Mare sings "La La Lu" to Allison's baby, which is from Lady and The Tramp. Marie sings "Out There" to the mirror, which is from The Hunchback of Notre Dame. Yeah, Disney songs are beast.**

**Well, my dears, that said:**

**Reviews are better than the pounds of candy I anticipate getting tonight.**

**That's a different kind of hint.**


	16. Chapter 16

**MY READERS!**

**The end is near. Seriously. Only two chapters left after this one. This actually wasn't going to be a chapter but (A) I need to fill in some blank spaces and (B) there would've been an uneven amount of chapters if I didn't add this one. So, here you all go.**

**Can you believe we have over 100 reveiws? Ugh, that still feels like so many to me, even though we passed 100 a couple chapters ago! Thank you all! It's so wonderful to read each and every one of them. I take all of them to heart and cherish them. Every review is like a little gift because you guys don't have to reviews, no one is forcing you to, you choose to send me them and give me support and inspiration, so thanks. That's all I can think to say. Thank you so very much.**

**We only own Marie.**

Derek POV

"Marie?" I made my way into the dark house. I followed the sound of her racing heartbeat, her jagged breathing, up the stairs and into my parents' room. "Marie?" I opened the door.

She was against the far wall, beside the end of the bed, under the window, crying. She took her hands away from her face and I noticed the bloody puncture wounds that must have resulted from the clenching of her fists when her claws grew. Her face was stained with tears from her eyes and blood from her hands.

She didn't look at me, just cried harder, grasping the curtains hanging in front of the closest window in her hand and pulling, dragging her hands down them, blood staining the fabric. She screamed, shrill, and her crying increased. More tears flowed from her eyes as she grasped the side of her head, sobbing and weeping on the floor.

I stepped closer, the floorboards creaking their protest under my weight and her head snapped up at the sound. "Please," she whimpered through her tears, "please don't hurt me."

Realizing she was having some kind of fit that was much worse than I'd thought, I made my way to her. Crouching in front of her, cupping my hands over hers, I knew that the world of nightmares she lived in was not where either of us belonged. "Marie..."

She met my eyes and I pulled her hands away from her head, holding her palms up so she could watch herself heal. The wounds closed and that seemed to make it a little better. Her sobs were softer, less violent. Her newly healed hand came up to touch my cheek with her soft fingertips. I closed my eyes, inhaling slowly.

"Are you alright?" I sighed.

She nodded. I wrapped my arms around her, pulling her as close as I could, burying my face in her hair. I kissed her forehead as she grabbed at my shoulders, burying her face against my chest. Her nails dug into my shirt and it stung slightly, but I didn't care. I would bleed, happily, if it meant I could hold her.

"Derek?" I lifted my head, stared at her. "Sing for me?"

I knew it would make her feel better, feel more sane, so I licked my lips and did ask she asked.

_"I can show you the world,_

_shining, shimmering, splendid._

_Tell me, princess,_

_now when did you_

_last let your heart_

_decide?_

_I can open your eyes,_

_take you wonder by wonder,_

_take you over, sideways, and under_

_on a magic carpet ride."_

She sniffled, smiling, and I reached over, wiping away tears.

_"A whole new world,_

_a new fantastic point of view,_

_no one to tell us no_

_or where to go_

_or say we're only dreaming."_

I tucked a peice of hair behind her ear, "Your turn."

She nodded and continued:

_"A whole new world,_

_a dazzling place I never knew,_

_but when I'm way up here,_

_it's crystal clear_

_that now I'm in a whole new world_

_with you..."_

The last note ended, echoing in the dark around us. Licking my lips, I touched her cheek. "Derek?" she whispered. "Are you okay?" I nodded, leaning close. I pressed my forehead to hers, closed my eyes and breathed, wondering how long we could handle these fits.

Pulling away, I chuckled to reassure her that everything was fine. "I think we're less Aladdin and Jasmine and more Beauty and the Beast."

"Me being the Beast and you being the Beauty," she told me.

I frowned, "You're not a beast, Marie. You're like...Red Riding Hood. You're beautiful and innocent and curious; there's nothing wrong with you- you just have something after you."

She licked her lips, looked down at her hand, "Well, I think it's got me."

I shook my head, "No. No, don't say that."

I didn't get a responce; she just looked away, running her hand through her hair.

"Hey," I said, taking her chin in my hand and forcing her to look at me. "Remember when we were little? And we would play all those stupid games? In almost every game we played, I always saved you, remember? I was the knight in shining armor and you were the princess, right? It's still like that, Marie. I'm still going to save you."

"You can't protect me from something you can't see, Derek."

"For you? I will."

She smiled, "Thanks."

"You're all I have, Marie," I told her gently, "I'm not going to let anyone or anything take you away."

* * *

><p>Stiles POV<p>

I drove like a maniac, at a speed my dad would arrest me for. My hands were shaking so badly that I couldn't get a good grip on the steering wheel. I picked up my phone- not the smartest idea I've ever had, to text while hardly being able to drive -and tried to call Scott. "Come on, come on, pick up," I pleaded.

"_Hey."_

"Oh! God, Scott, something crazy just happened-"

_"I can't get to the phone right now because (A) I don't want to talk to you or (B) I'm really busy. So, either try again later or hope I call you back. Later."_

"And I got your voice mail."

_"Please leave a message after the beep."_

"Okay, first off, thanks your answering your phone, dicknose. Second, something crazy just happened. I think something's wrong with Marie. I'm coming to pick you up and we're going back to the Hale house to sort all this shit out. Okay? And if your baby mama has a problem with that, tell her I said she can shove it. I'm driving and I can't focus and my hands are shaking and I'm probably gonna crash. Call me back. Bye."

I threw the phone into the passenger seat, taking deep breaths to calm myself.

I couldn't breathe. My hands were still shaking. Oh, God, I was having a panic attack. I'd thought I'd gotten over this years ago.

_I was thirteen years old and my dad was on patrol. _

_I had made myself dinner- dinosaur chicken nuggets and pasta -and I'd done my homework and even done some of my chores. I'd put the extra pasta in the fridge with the date on it so my dad could eat when he came home. _

_Standing in the middle of the living room, hands on my hips in a stance that showed just how cool I thought i was, like a super hero, I thought about how proud Dad would be of me for doing this all on my own. That led to me thinking about how my mom would feel about it._

_My hands starting shaking. I couldn't breathe. an elephant was sitting on my chest. It felt like I was having an asthma attack, but I didn't have asthma. I crumbled to the floor, legs splayed out in front of me, shaking hands grabbing at my chest to try and lessen the pressure._

_I eventually passed out and stayed there until my dad came home hours later and shook me awake._

_I remember how he hugged me so tight in his arms that night, when I woke up. It was like he was squeezing all the air out of my body, but it was a good kind of pressure. He had taken my face in his big hands and stared into my wide eyes, checked me over to make sure I was okay, to make sure he wasn't going to lose me, too._

I pulled over to the side of the road and put my face in my hands. What the hell was wrong with me? I had a mission to complete. I pressed my forehead against the steering wheel, taking deep breaths, in, out, in out, calming my heart rate.

I tried to think of happy things, things like dancing with Marie and laughing with Scott and having dinner with my dad, things like teasing Derek and trolling the internet with Danny and playing lacrosse against Jackson and getting drunk with Lydia.

But all I could think about was bad things, sad things; things like Jackson and Scott going for each others throats, things like Marie cleaning Kate Argent's blood from Derek's body and Peter Hale going after al those people, things like my mom dying and like Laura Hale's severed corpse, things like Derek almost dying from a Wolfsbane bullet, and like my dad crying, things like Marie screaming and shrieking at some invisible force.

I slapped myself across the face. "Focus, Stiles," I blinked, rubbing my cheek. It doesn't look like it hurts that much on TV. I started the car and placed my steady hands on the steering wheel, ready to finish my mission, to make sure Marie was okay, to find out what was going on.

I pulled away from the side of the road and drove towards Scott's.

* * *

><p>Marie POV<p>

"I think I'm going to go for a walk," I told Derek, standing up and stretching. I looked around the room, at the bloodied curtains. "Did I do that?"

"Don't worry about it," he told me, pressing a kiss to my forehead. "I think fresh air will do you some good. Want me to come with you?"

I smiled, "No, I think I can handle myself for a little bit. I'll scream if I need you."

He touched my cheek and nodded.

Glancing around again, I met his eyes, "I really am sorry about the room, Derek. I know you don't like to have anyone in here."

"It's no big deal, Marie. All that matters is that you're okay."

I made my way out of the house, inhaling a deep breath of fresh air. I looked around the clearing. Even in the dark, the woods were beautiful, a silvery glow cast by the moon making everything dance. I closed my eyes and allowed myself to relax.

Everything would be alright.

**DUN DUN DUN.**

**hahaha, well, that's it for this chapter. Yeah, I know it's short, but it's more of a filler until the next chapter, which will be chock-full of action and everything. I just hope you'll all like it. **

**Derek and Marie sing "A Whole New World" from Aladdin in this one because Aladdin's amazing and that's seriously such a wonderful song and I'm surprised I haven't put it in here before. Oh, well.**

**Stiles' panic attack was inspired by the Youtube video "sweet apologize; stiles (teen wolf)" which was made by a Youtuber named DarkJuliet. It is seriously one of the best Teen Wolf videos I have ever seen because it has so much feeling and power in it, so you should all go watch it. It's like a whole other side of Stiles that most people never show. Go watch it.**

**Message me if you want the explanation of the Skeletal Beings. They're not really important in the last few chapters, so I figured I'd have you message me or ask in a review if you want to know what they are.**

**Yeah, well, that's it.**

**I hope you all liked this short filler.**

**Reviews are love, hate, and better than the candy I've been eating all day:)**


	17. Chapter 17

**MY FABULOUS READERS!**

**The end of the chapter 15, the whole last chapter, and this chapter all happen on the same night, just so there's no confusion. This chapter is not going to be a happy one. No more chapters are going to be happy. They're going to be sad, angry, and intense. I hope that's okay with everyone.**

**So.**

**I need to thank a few people. First, Amanda, for being there and listening to my long-winded descriptions of things that I changed two minutes later and for always helping me wth my whirlwind of Teen Wolf ideas. I owe you a couple Starbucks trips. Second, synismysin**** for reading every single one of my rants and responding every day, no matter how annoying I probably got. I offically owe you a dedicated story, if that's good enough for all your help.**

**And, lastly, I need to thank you, everyone who has read and/or alerted and/or reviewed. I don't know if I could've continued this without you all. Teen Wolf has been the nicest, most responsive fandom I've ever written for. And I know that sounds scripted and like I'm kissing up in order to get more reviews, but I'm not. Seriously, I don't think I've ever felt more welcome in a fandom and I've never had so much support on a story. Before Teen Wolf, I never had over 100 reveiws, I never had people asking for updates, I had never left someone "on the edge of their seat" or "wanting more." And for that I am sincerely greatful to all of you.**

**And I'm annoying myself, and probaby you, too, so let's get on with the story.**

**We only own Marie.**

Scott POV

"Allison," I sighed, trudging down the stairs after finally, finally, getting the baby to stop crying.

"Yeah?"

I stared at the back of her head, wondering how to go about saying what I needed to. "You have a daughter."

"Yeah, I realized that, Scott."

I shook my head, "You said you'd get better at this, you promised you'd try, but you haven't even held her since she and I moved back in. You won't feed her, change her. All you focus on is Marie and Derek and how much you think they're ruining our lives."

"Scott, do you not realize-?"

"Why are you doing this to us?"

"Why, why am _I _doing this? Scott, they're doing it! It's their fault!" She stood, spinning around to glare at me.

I squared my shoulders, "You have a daughter, Allison. A daughter. She's sleeping upstairs and she's going to start thinking you don't like her."

"So?"

"So focus on her. You're her mother. Marie and Derek and your frickin' delusion is not more important than her. And, and why won't you listen?"

"But, Marie-!"

"ALLISON!" I bellowed, eyes flashing gold. "REALLY! Why is not the most important thing? Just for ONE NIGHT!"

She stared at me for a moment; we watched each other warily. "Fine," she whispered, grabbing her coat off the floor, pulling it over her shoulders, "Take their side. I'll finish what they stared."

I stepped closer to her, following her to the front door. "What? Allison, what the hell are you doing to do?"

Giving me a look, she slipped through the door, "They can burn in hell."

* * *

><p>Lydia POV<p>

"Lydia, damn it, just call my dad and tell him to meet me at the Hale house," Allison ordered.

"Why? What's happening?" I held the phone tighter in my hand.

"Let's put it this way: Someone's going to die tonight."

"Allison?" I whimpered, but she had already hung up.

I took a deep breath and quickly called her father, telling him everything she had told me and more, how I was worried she would do something rash, how she seemed to hate the werewolves more than anything, and please, please, please, could he do something? "She said that if you loved her, if you ever cared about her or Kate at all, you'd help her. What does she mean?"

He hung up.

I sighed and quickly called Jackson, relaying everything.

* * *

><p>Danny POV<p>

"Okay, Lydia," Jackson's breathing had sped up slightly. "Yeah, I'll get Stiles to pick us up and we'll go there as soon as posisble. Promise." After hanging up, his thumbs skittered over my phone's keyboard, ordering the A.D.D. boy to come pick him up.

He looked to me, giving me an apologetic smile. "I'm sorry, something's going down at Marie's apparently. It's some big emergency. I've gotta go-"

"I'll come with you," I stood.

"No, really, you shouldn't, it'll be over in a second-"

"No, seriously," I hoped my voice left no room for arguement. "I'm coming with you. Everything's obviously not okay."

He ran a hand through his blonde hair, "Listen, Danny, there are things you still don't know, things I can't tell you."

"Damn it, Jackson, I don't care about any of that. I care about _you_." I stared at him, taking a breath, and then added, "...And our friends- in case you didn't notice that they mattered to me, too."

I heard the horn of Stiles' jeep. "Sorry, man." He ran out the door, leaving his bewildered best friend- and possibly our life long friendship -behind.

* * *

><p>Papa Argent POV<p>

I climbed into my SUV, clutching the steering wheel tightly in my hands. Looking away from the gun in the passenger seat, I let out a long exhale and closed my eyes.

_She said that if you loved her, if you ever cared about her or Kate at all, you'd help her._

I thought about my daughter, my young daughter, and how she had become so different in the time that had gone by. I thought about how she didn't hold her own daughter. I thought about how she would smile, but never seemed to be really happy. I thought about how I didn't know her anymore.

I remebered my sister, the one I'd found dead, her throat slashed. I remembered how she would annoy me, tease me, taunt me. I remembered how I hated that she wanted to tag along with me and my friends. I remember being on the phone with her after news of the Hale House fire had reached me and my new wife, how she had sounded so smug when she had answered my question of how they hadn't found who had done it. _The bolder the move, the less anyone questions it._

My phone buzzed with a text and I flipped it open, glowing screen giving me a message from my daughter. I threw my phone into the passenger seat; it clattered against the gun. I stared at both devices for a full minute before I put the keys in the ignition and started the car.

* * *

><p>Marie POV<p>

A twig snapped. I stopped, turned my head, listening. From the house, I could hear Derek in his room, cursing himself, something about how he should've "told her how he feels," pacing.

"Allison," I breathed a sigh of relief when I realized she was the one coming towards me.

"Well, don't you look pretty?" she looked me up and down, stepping out from the trees. I glanced down at the white dress I had put on in anticipation for Stiles' visit.

"You shouldn't be here," I told Allison, noticing that she had Hunter weapons with her. I took a step back.

"Are you afraid?" she mocked.

I stumbled backwards as she stepped forward. "Don't come near me." The voice in my head, that horrible voice, told me to let the flesh instruct the mind, to use my nails to break her skin open. I shook my head against the voice. Allison was my friend. _Put your feelings aside, _the voice whispered, _and kill._

"Is that any way to speak to your _friend_?" she taunted, coming closer, closer still. Her grin was predatory and I could easily see how she was related to Kate. "You put us all in danger. You dragged Jackson and Scott into your little world. You've destroyed Stiles."

"I love him."

"If you loved him, you would've let him go." She dropped her bow and arrows.

"I tried. But, sometimes, you can't be afraid. Love is bigger than fear."

She shook her head, as if pitying me and my failure to see reality. If only she knew. Her fingers danced across the gun at her side. There was something wolfsbane-laced that looked like a sword- but did Hunters still use swords? That seemed a bit medieval -strapped across her back standing behind her like some kind of flag.

I took a step back. "I should go," I continued, "Derek's probably looking for me..."

"No," Allison's voice was harsh. I paused and she smiled, smirked, leaving a terrible feeling in my stomach. "It won't be long now." She pulled the wolfsbane-infused blade from behind her back, pointing it at me. "You're gonna get what you deserve."

I saw the blade coming towards me and could do nothing to stop it.

* * *

><p>Derek POV<p>

I stopped cursing my stupidity and paused, listening to Marie. She had said my name, something about me looking for her. She was in the clearing, aruging with Allison. _It won't be long now. _I took a deep breath and felt a bit woozy. Ugh, the Hunter had Wolfsbane with her. I realized that meant she had weapons with her. I took off running, down both flights of stairs, out the door.

The clock struck twelve, ringning the hour, almost drowning out an agonized moan, howl, scream, a combination of sounds that brought a bad feeling to my stomach.

I found Allison standing outside. Marie was behind her on the ground, eyes open wide, pink lips parted, wearing what looked like a red belt I hadn't noticed around her dress before. I couldn't hear her heartbeat. The dark-haired Hunter smiled, sadistic, and I could see how she was related to Kate. I stepped closer, "What did you do?" I think I already knew the answer.

Her horrific grin grew and my heart sped up, sensing danger. "You know, it really is too bad..."

"What's too bad?"

"That your cousin _bit it_ before she could have her first litter," a maniac fire lit in her eyes, "Too bad she _howled_ like a _bitch_ when I CUT HER IN HALF!"

I saw red and lunged, claws extended. My mind didn't want to believe it, but the wolf already did- Marie had been murdered, she was gone. My muscled hands closed around the murderer's throat, twisting, cutting off the air supply. My claws dug into her neck, breaking the skin and tearing the flesh.

It was almost too easy- too easy to rip the young girl apart. I wanted her to suffer. She had taken away the only good thing in my life. She was no better than her Aunt Kate, even if she had stayed with Scott and bore him a child despite his lycanthropy. She deserved to burn for what she'd done, deserved to die for taking Marie away from me.

She fell to the ground, a bloodied heap. I threw my head back, letting the wolf inside run free, and howled.

I could hear the others scrabling out of Stiles' jeep. I stared down at my feet, which were soaking in a pool of cherry liquid. Over Allison's body, I stared at Marie's. There was no heartbeat, no breath. I pressed a bloodied hand to my mouth, retracting claws stained the same crimson color of Marie's hair.

"Oh, my God, Derek," Scott shouted. "What have you done?"

I exhaled a shaky breath, staring at my cousin's severed corpse. She was gone. How could she have been taken from me so quickly, so unexpectedly?

Her body was pale. What I had briefly thought of as a red belt was quickly growing in size, blood spreading and soaking into the fabric of her pretty white dress. Red-velvet hair spread around her head, large blue eyes wide and unseeing, pink lips parted in a silent breath that would never leave her body, Marie hardly looked like the girl I remembered.

She was no longer the child I had played Fairy Tale with, no longer the little girl who whipped her raven curls around to listen to my every word, no longer the pretty teenager with a cherry waterfall of hair and a bright smile, no longer the young woman who whimpered and curled against my side in bed at night. She was no longer my sunlight, no longer my tomorrow, no longer my daydream. She was just a lifeless corpse.

I turned my gaze to Allison's body and wondered if anyone had really gotten what they'd wanted.

The Hunters were there, a hulking SUV parked in the clearing. I guessed that Lydia, confused and scared about the sudden changes in both her friends, had called Allison's father prior to coming with the boys, but I could've been wrong. Chris Argent stepped out of his car, glancing around at the gorish scene.

His eyes rested on me: "What have you done?" My mouth moved, no sound. I shook my head, taking in the scene. He looked to Scott, "What's going on here?"

"Sir-"

"Is that a dead body?" Chris growled, stepping towards me. He shot a look to Scott, who scrambled backwards, towards Stiles and the others. The man with the gun looked at them, scanning, counting. "Where's Allison?"

Lydia choked on a sob.

Stiles drew in a deep, shaky breath, seemingly hyperventilating. He licked his lips, stepping forward. His brown eyes locked with mine, but he spoke to the Hunter: "Sir, they're-"

"She's dead," I interrupted. But I wasn't talking to Chris, nor about Allison. I was talking to myself, out loud, only needed to hear the words to feel my heart break, shatter into a million pieces in my chest.

Everyone turned to stare at me, but I kept eye contact with Stiles only. His face was pained; he nodded, "Derek, oh god, Derek, she's gone." His lower lip trembled. My stained hands came up to cover my face.

Chris Argent fired a shot in my direction, the bullet grazing my arm; I hissed, disoriented, and fell to the ground. He marched over to the teens, grabbing Lydia's arm and pulling her away from the others. "So, Lydia, I would like to thank you-"

"I'm sorry!" The sobbing girl cried. "I didn't mean to say anything!"

"Lydia-" Stiles exhaled.

She turned to Jackson and Scott. "Allison said everything would be okay if I called him."

Jackson seemed to find his voice, glaring at Chris, "You let go of her right now!"

"Do you have anything to say to them, Lydia?" the Hunter asked the girl.

"He, he, we didn't mean it-" she looked at me. "I'm so sorry."

"Sweetheart," the Hunter's grip on her arm tightened, "it's okay. I want to thank you for everything you've done, but, y'know, no one likes a snitch, so-" he stuck his gun against her back and pulled the trigger.

Everyone screamed.

"Lydia!" Jackson gasped as she fell to the ground. Stiles couldn't seem to keep any air in his lungs. Scott stumbled backward. Chris sighed, running a hand down his face.

"Allison told me she wanted every member of your pack dead." He pointed his gun at the three remaining boys. "You better run faster than my bullet, boys."

They scattered. He threw the gun to the ground, giving me a look. He got in his SUV, and drove away, leaving me to die with the three dead girls.

* * *

><p>Jackson POV<p>

We were all sitting in this dark room and it was scary because we didn't know who was next. I could see Stiles sitting there, next his father, playing nervously with his pale fingers. His dad reached over and placed his hand on Stiles', looking into his son's eyes, silently telling him to _calm down_.

And we all should've really just calmed the hell down. No one there was a murderer.

But that idea didn't help and we were scared and confused and I just wanted to go home but I couldn't because this was the police station and my car was at my house because Stiles had driven us here. I couldn't understand why they kept the lights so low and I wanted to ask them to turn on a light, but I didn't because they were police and this was a police station and I was afraid.

I glanced over at Scott. He had his eyes closed and was breathing deeply, lips moving quickly, silently, as he held his daughter in his arms.

"Jackson?" he suddenly whispered and his eyes were on me and I didn't want to look at him anymore because he was scared and he wanted me to fix everything because I was the one Derek liked better, the one Derek had turned, but I couldn't because I was scared and my hands were shaking and I couldn't make this any better and I was just a beta, hardly more powerful than everyone else that was there.

I looked at him because if I looked away then I would appear scared and no one could ever see that- even though I was scared shitless- so I stared at my pack mate and offered a reassuring smile even though my insides were quivering and time was moving really slow and really fast at the same time and I wondered if that's what it felt like when you did drugs and if it was, did that mean I was on drugs and this was drug-induced dream.

His daughter- whom he had quickly named Allison as soon as the baby was in his arms again -made baby noises and he turned his gaze away to stare at her and I sighed heavily and looked down at my shaking fingers, wishing they would stop shaking because I wasn't cold and you shouldn't shiver when you're not cold, but I was and I was sweating, but it made me feel like I had a fever and I wanted to ask for a blanket or sweatshirt or could they please turn the heat up but I didn't because this was a police station and they were police and I was not scared shitless- no matter if my stomach was turning.

They called me in and I could feel my legs quivering as I followed the Sheriff into a separate room and I wanted to throw up but I didn't because I was at a police station and they were police and Lydia had bought me those shoes, damn it.

And they asked my questions about Derek- _did he display violent tendencies, did I know his motivation for killing those girls, had he ever talked about killing someone -_and I didn't know how to answer. All I could think was how dare they ask me these qustions, my girlfriend just died, and I think I started crying because when I walked out my cheeks felt wet.

I sat down again once they freed me, calling Scott in. He passed his daughter to Stiles and followed them away. I looked at Stiles, tried to give him a reassuring smile, but couldn't.

Suddenly, my body tensed and I felt stronger, faster, better. I caught a glimpse of my eyes in the window and saw them flash red, the Alpha's color and, apparently, Stiles noticed, too, because he stared at me and his mouth moved like he wanted to say something but couldn't find the words.

My eyes went back to normal. I looked away and I refused to raise my head.

* * *

><p>Derek POV<p>

I stepped through the doors into the dreary grey building. The sign read _The Home For Peculiar Children_ with an arrow pointing right and _Asylum For Clinically Insane_ with an arrow pointing left. "I told you you'd be back," the man behind the desk said. "Where's the redhead?"

I looked at him and smirked. The guard leading me said, "We're not here for her- we're here for him."

"What'd he do?"

I grinned, showing off my sharp, elongated canines: "I finshed what they started."

I followed the guard away, to the left, my hands handcuffed behind my back. I heard the man at the desk sigh, "Too bad we can't do lobotomies anymore."

I smirked, feeling slightly insane. I liked this feeling, the feeling that they couldn't hurt me, that nothing could hurt me. They opened the door to my room and I stepped inside.

"Feel lucky you're here," my guard growled.

"There is another world, there is a better world," I mused, shrugging, "well, there must be."

"You're lucky your ass ain't on Death Row, killing those little girls," my guard spat at me.

My smirk grew. "I wouldn't speak to me that way if I were you, _servant_," and I bared my fangs, lunging at him, claws out.

**;)**

**Well, the next chapter will have no author's note so I need to get everything down here. **

**My darling readers, this has been a wonderful ride. After I post the last A&R chapter, I'll be working on "Brick By Boring Brick," which will be a story of all of their childhoods. **

**I feel sad, like I'm saying goodbye to a good, dear friend. But I hope that's not the case. I hope you'll all read the next chapter and maybe even come back and reread this story again after it's finished. I hope you all liked it that much. I hope this isn't goodbye and that I'll hear from some of you again.**

**On that note, I hope you all loved this. Or at least liked it.**

**Reviews are love, hate, and everything in between:)**


	18. Chapter 18

So much has been said about the girls over the past year.

Everyone in town has their own opinion. The teachers say they all had bright futures ahead of them. Their parents, of course, cried for their little angels who had so much life left to live. The police still argue about the sequence of events that led up to their deaths. The nurses at the hospital, like Melissa McCall, were horrified at the murders and said it was hard to think that these girls who had so much ahead of them would never grow up to get married or have children or- in Allison's case -see her child grow.

The three of us, our own opinion is somewhat different.

They were the girls we loved. Allison was the mother of Scott's daughter, the one he'd already bought a ring for, the one he had planned out a whole future with. Lydia, to Jackson, was the only girl he'd really ever loved, the only girl he'd ever been with who'd meant anything to him.

And, Marie, to me, was my everything. She was my first love. She was the first girl I'd kissed, the first girl I'd cared for. I loved her with my whole heart, with a kind of reverence and innocence I will never get back after seeing both halves of her bloodied corpse. I don't think I'll ever stop loving her, either.

The official police report states that, in a fit of rage, Derek Hale took his cousin's life, then the Argent girl's, and, when Lydia Martin tried to call the police, he shot her with the gun that was found at his side. There was a bullet wound in his arm, so it was suspected that, after murdering the three girls, he tried to off himself.

Only the three of us know that isn't true.

We know who killed Marie, we know why Derek killed Allison, we know who killed Lydia. We know that the gun wasn't Derek's. We know he was a good guy with a strong heart, who was avenging his cousin's death, who only wanted to protect her, his intention entirely honorable.

We know the bullet wound wasn't a suicide attempt, but that it was a shot fired from Chris Argent's gun, aiming to kill Derek before the Hunter killed Lydia. We know that the Argents fled Beacon Hills after the murders and that they never contacted Scott or tried to see their granddaughter again.

The Hale property is seen as cursed, a piece of land that is bad luck, a place where children dare each other to go up and knock on the door to see if a ghost will answer.

But, the Hale House isn't a ghost story, nor a haunted attraction. And, once a month, on the full moon, what is left of the Hale pack meets there and travels through the rooms. We all pay our respect to Derek, step into his room and breathe the air that Scott and Jackson say smells like him.

When we visit Marie's room, there's always a moment of silence, of reverence, before Jackson and Scott back out and leave me to mourn. They leave me in peace to skim through her books, the ones she left open on her desk, to trail my fingers over her box of movies, all Disney cartoons. I always press the 'play' button on her TV and watch Ariel sing to Eric about how something is starting right now, knowing she must've been watching it with Derek, her last sing-along before she died.

And then the moon will come out; Jackson and Scott will transform, run around the clearing and chase each other, hunt Bambi's mom in the woods that surround the house, while I sit in the house with Scott's daughter on my lap.

Little Allison is getting big and, sometimes, mornings after full moon nights, mornings when we all awake in the living room of the Hale House, I can hear Scott talking to Allison about her, about how she's getting so big and how her dark curls are just like her mother's and how she loves her pack and how badly he wishes she could know her mother. And, when he thinks no one can hear, when I hear but never tell him, he cries.

Jackson will never admit it, but he watches the Notebook with Danny every Friday night, a way to remember Lydia together. Danny told me that Jackson sniffles at the end, when Noah and Allie die, when they die side by side, and Danny said that he thinks Jackson wishes he and Lydia could've ended their lives like that, old, in love, side by side.

I wonder about the girls, sometimes. Like, if they're watching us from Heaven or somewhere. I wonder if Marie's hanging out with Laura, if she's met my mom. I wonder if Marie knows that my dad cried at her funeral, the first time I'd seen him cry since my mother died. I wonder if Lydia knows how far Jackson fell into a bottle after she died, how Danny had to grab his friend's wrist and beg him to stop, how he tried desperately to crawl his way out, how he succeeded.

I wonder about Derek, too.

Derek was like a strong glue that held us together when we wanted to crumble apart. When we all wanted to leave and never speak to each other again, the thought that Derek would be dissapointed, the fact that he was always protecting us, his pack, made us suck it up and spend time together. We don't know if he's dead or alive; we only know that he's locked away if he is alive, and, if he's not, he's with his family, back with those he loves the most. And, either way, he's passed his position as Alpha on to Jackson.

In time, everyone will forget the murders. They'll fade into history just like the Hale Fire and become nothing more than records gathering dust in a filing cabniet at the Police Station.

But, us, we'll never forget them.

_I'll never forget you._


End file.
